Botswana Celebrates Historic Relay Victory with Public Holiday

Botswana celebrates its team's gold in the men's 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Championships with a public holiday. Collen Kebinatshipi's outstanding final leg secured the win in Tokyo. President Duma Gideon Boko declared the holiday to honor the athletes, linking their triumph to the nation’s pride.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 22-09-2025 17:38 IST | Created: 22-09-2025 17:38 IST

Botswana Celebrates Historic Relay Victory with Public Holiday — This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

Botswana has declared a public holiday after its men's 4x400m relay team won gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo—marking a historic first for an African team.

The decisive victory came as Collen Kebinatshipi expertly ran the final leg, overtaking powerhouses like the United States and South Africa despite unfavorable weather conditions.

Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko announced that the public holiday on September 29 will precede the country's independence day, celebrating Kebinatshipi and his teammates as national treasures akin to the country's famed diamonds.