Botswana puts Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo on new currency
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 23.09.25. | 15:33
The new design replaces the image of Sir Seretse Khama, Botswana’s founding president and one of its most revered figures
More than a year after Letsile Tebogo sprinted his way into history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Botswana has found another way to celebrate its golden boy.
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Tebogo is now the new face of the country’s 50 pula banknote, unveiled as part of the nation’s currency Golden Jubilee.
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The redesigned bill features a portrait-style image of Tebogo smiling with his 200m Olympic gold medal, making him the first Botswanan athlete to appear on the country’s money.
Sharing the stage with him is the men’s 4x400m relay team: Bayapo Ndori, Collen Kebinatshipi, Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, and Tebogo himself, who stormed to silver in Paris.
The new design replaces the image of Sir Seretse Khama, Botswana’s founding president and one of its most revered figures.
The change was made to honour both the 50th anniversary of Botswana’s currency and the achievements of the young sprinting sensation.
At just 22, Tebogo has become a cultural icon.
His 200m victory in Paris, where he outpaced Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles, made him Botswana’s first Olympic gold medallist. His role in anchoring the 4x400m squad to silver only cemented his legendary status.
Botswana has gone to great lengths to celebrate him. Last year, more than 30,000 fans packed Gaborone’s National Stadium for his homecoming parade. In August, the nation held the first annual Letsile Tebogo Day, a new public holiday in his honour.
Tebogo himself was not present at the unveiling of the new note.
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He was in Tokyo, where he was part of the 4 by 400m team that outpaced the USA and South Africa to win a historic gold.
Botswana’s decision echoes similar moves elsewhere.
Last year, Canada announced that Terry Fox, the beloved “Marathon of Hope” runner, would appear on the country’s five-dollar bill to mark the 45th anniversary of his legendary cross-country run.
