Botswana is set to celebrate a public holiday on Monday, September 29, 2025, in honor of its historic men’s 4x400m relay team. The team, consisting of Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, made history by becoming the first African team to win the event at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The team’s stunning performance saw them edge the United States in a nail-biting finish, clocking 2:57.76 to top the podium. The Americans, anchored by 400m hurdles champion Rai Benjamin, finished just 0.07 seconds behind. The moment of glory came in the anchor leg, where Kebinatshipi produced a sensational run down the home stretch, overtaking Benjamin in the final meters to deliver a victory that sent Botswana into euphoria.

President Duma Boko hailed the athletes as national treasures, saying, “Congratulations, my boys! Thank you so much. The nation is proud, everybody is delirious about you guys, and we love you so much.” He announced the new holiday via a statement on social media, stating, “Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just found in the ground; they are our World Champion athletes!”

The public holiday on September 29 will be followed by Independence Day festivities on Tuesday, September 30, giving Botswana a reason to enjoy back-to-back celebrations. This wave of national pride mirrors the scenes from the 2024 Paris Olympics, when Letsile Tebogo’s historic men’s 200m victory was celebrated with a half-day holiday across the nation.