Botswana delivered one of the biggest upsets at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday, storming to gold in the men’s 4x400m relay and dethroning defending champions, the United States.
The quartet of Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi powered to victory in 2:57.76, edging out Team USA, who clocked a season’s best of 2:57.83 to claim silver.
South Africa added to Africa’s celebrations by taking bronze with the same time of 2:57.83, missing second place by a whisker.
The triumph marked Botswana’s first-ever medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the World Championships — and it came as a historic gold, making them the first African nation to win the event on the global stage.
Kebinatshipi, who anchored the team to victory, also claimed individual glory earlier with gold in the men’s 400m, running a world-leading 43.53s. His teammate, Bayapo Ndori, added to the medal haul with bronze in the same event.
“This is my first title and it feels crazy,” said Kebinatshipi. “In the final, I had no fear — I just wanted to go all out and see how far I could go.”
The remarkable double medal performance firmly established Botswana as a rising force in world athletics.
