"Tell my kids this was Nelson Mandela" - Fred Kerley reacts to Letsile Tebogo receiving grand welcome in Botswana after Paris Olympics exploits

By Agnijeeta Majumder

Modified Aug 15, 2024 08:37 GMT

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Fred Kerley reacted to Letsile Tebogo's grand reception at the Botswana National Stadium on his return to the country after a successful Paris Olympics. The 21-year-old won his country's very first Olympic medal by winning gold in the 200m event. He also clinched silver as part of the men's 4x400m relay team.

Tebogo clocked 19.46 seconds in the 200m final to win his maiden Olympic medal, beating the likes of Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles, who came in second and third with timings of 19.62 seconds and 19.70 seconds, respectively. On his return to his homeland, Tebogo was given a grand reception at the Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone.

With Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi declaring a half-day holiday, the stadium was packed with over 30,000 people. Fred Kerley reacted to the photos, light-heartedly stating that he will address Letsile Tebogo as the great Nelson Mandela to his kids.

"Ima tell my kids this was Nelson Mandela," Kerley wrote on X.

Kerley was also among the medals at the Paris Olympics, as he clinched bronze in the 100m event, finishing behind Lyles and Kishane Thompson after clocking a timing of 9.81 seconds. This was the 29-year-old's second Olympic medal, having won silver in the same event at Tokyo 2020.

Fred Kerley reacted to Letsile Tebogo's cash prize win and other rewards lined up for his Paris Olympics success

Letsile Tebogo after winning gold in the 200m event at Paris Olympics (Source: Getty)

In honor of Letsile Tebogo's monumental win at the Olympics, he will reportedly receive a four-bedroom house, and a prize money worth $260,000 from several other institutions.

Fred Kerley encouraged Tebogo to secure the win in the 4x400m relay to add more to his long list of accomplishments as another cash prize was lined up for the relay medal winners.

"Got damn go on with you bad self then," Kerley wrote in his X handle.

"Got damn go on with you bad self then"

After Tebogo's 200m win, the first 200m Olympic gold for an African country, Kerley said that the Botswana sprinter deserved it.

"LETSILE TEBOGO deserves that."

The 21-year-old lost his mother, Elizabeth Seratiwa, in May 2023. To him, his Olympic achievement would have made his mother the happiest.

"I believe she could be one of the happiest people on the planet. Because she believed in me and I had so much doubt for myself," said the emotional 200m Olympic champion. (via Olympics.com)

Apart from his medal-winning events, Tebogo also competed in the 100m event at the Paris Olympics and finished sixth after clocking 9.86 seconds in the final.