When addressing Parliament today, Youth, Sport, Gender and Culture minister Tumiso Rakgare poured heartfelt accolades to the late Seratiwa Tebogo, Letsile’s mother. The minister’s address was in reaction to the historic achievement by Letsile at the Olympic Games, which are currently underway in France. He said Seratiwa gave her son unwavering support and cheerleading during races, from travelling with him around the world to managing his diet and character. “She dedicated her life to making sure that her son, our diamond, understood what it meant to be an elite athlete, both on and off track. Seratiwa was born in 1980, the year of our first participation in the Olympic Games,” Rakgare said.
“Since then and until her untimely passing, a few months ago, Botswana had never won an Olympic gold medal, and now in the year of her passing, her son has gifted us one.” He said looking into the future, Letsile’s victory serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the next generation of athletes, artists and leaders. Rakgare added for his exceptional performance, the athlete is entitled to receive from government, P250, 000 for winning a gold medal, P25, 000 for the top eight finish in the 100m race, and P50, 000 for setting an African record in the 200m race.
