In a landmark achievement for African athletics, Botswana captured the gold medal in the men's 4x400 metres relay at the 2025 World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo. This victory marks the first time an African nation has triumphed in this event at the world championship level, ending the United States’ near-decade dominance and igniting celebrations across Botswana.
The final race unfolded under heavy rain, which added to the challenge for the teams competing. The United States, having secured their place in the final only after winning a rare runoff earlier that day against Kenya, led going into the last leg with their anchor runner Rai Benjamin—a 400m hurdles champion—carrying a two-metre lead. However, Botswana’s 21-year-old anchor, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, who had already won the individual 400m title earlier in the championships, executed a strategic and powerful final leg. As he approached the finish line, Kebinatshipi surged ahead, narrowly overtaking Benjamin to secure victory for Botswana with a winning time of 2:57.76.
The United States finished with the silver medal, clocking 2:57.83, a mere two thousandths of a second ahead of South Africa, which took the bronze with an identical time, evidencing one of the tightest finishes in the history of the event. South Africa’s anchor Zakithi Nene put forth a strong attempt to close the gap in the final stride but ultimately fell just short.
Botswana's triumphant relay team included Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi. Each played a crucial role with Tebogo’s second-leg standout effort, clocking a quick split of 44.05 seconds to bring Botswana back on pace after a challenging start. Ndori, who also won bronze in the individual 400m event, maintained their strong position before handing off to Kebinatshipi, whose closing speed secured the historic gold.
The race not only brought a breakthrough for Botswana but also marked a significant moment for African sprinting on the world stage. President Duma Boko, speaking from New York during the United Nations General Assembly, hailed the win as a “historic African victory”. He announced that September 29 would be a public holiday in Botswana to honour the athletes, coinciding with the day before the country’s Independence Day celebrations. The president praised the team as Botswana’s “natural diamonds”, symbolising the nation’s rising prominence internationally.
The victory contributed to Botswana’s strongest showing ever at a world athletics championship, with the country finishing fifth in the overall medal standings. Their medal haul included two golds, one silver, and one bronze, reflecting a rising powerhouse in global athletics.
Botswana’s thrilling win in the men’s 4x400m relay will be remembered as a defining achievement, breaking traditional dominance and highlighting the continent’s growing competitiveness in sprint relay events.