Olympian or hero? Tebogo Letsile saves the day amid heavy rain in Botswana

by Nomonde Simelane

When he is not playing hero for his country on the Olympic stage, sprinting sensation Tebogo Letsile has emerged as Botswana’s man of the hour after his heroics saved some civilians amid heavy rainfall in Gaborone.

Tebogo Letsile has quickly become Botswana’s golden boy after he secured the nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics after clocking 19.46s in the men’s 200m final sprint. His heroic performance resulted on 9 August becoming a holiday dedicated to celebrating Tebogo’s immense achievement in Botswana.

The sprinting sensation proved that his heroic acts knew no bounds and limits after a clip where he assisted citizens who were affected by the heavy rainfall to safety went viral. In the clip, the athlete can be seen discerningly manoeuvring his 4×4  Cruiser through the flooded streets to ensure that those who were stuck on the street were attended to and assisted in any way they needed, including giving them a lift and pulling other cars out of the floods.

Gaborone has been experiencing some heavy rains recently, which have resulted in flooding in some sections as well as the closure of some roads, leading to intense traffic and chaos as citizens attempted to make it home safely. Tebego’s heroic act of kindness towards his countrymen has earned him the title of being ‘the people’s champion’ as he continues to prove his patriotism and love for the people in Botswana.

Taking to social media, internet users have hailed Tebogo and commended him for his bravery and quick thinking, as civilians could have experienced a more heart-breaking fate had it not been for the Olympian.

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