Letsile Tebogo returns to Botswana with historic Olympic gold medal: Video

Botswana warmly welcomed Letsile Tebogo on Tuesday, August 13 as he returned home with the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal.

The sprinter was greeted by excited crowds at the airport in Gaborone, where families, elderly people, and young supporters waved the national flag.

Hundreds of people gathered at the small airport to celebrate Tebogo, who won the men’s 200m in Paris on August 8 with an African record time of 19.46 seconds, defeating American sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles.

Tebogo, 21, became the first African to win the men's 200m. He also won a silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay, bringing Botswana’s total Olympic medals to four.

Traditional dancers in animal skins and beads performed outside the airport, with celebrations continuing at the national stadium. The holiday declared by Botswana's President in honour of Tebogo's win on August 9 allowed the nation of 2.3 million to join in the festivities.

Tebogo’s gold is only the second Olympic medal in the men’s 200m for an African athlete, following Namibian Frankie Fredericks’ silver in 1996.