De Beers Group and the Government of Botswana have extended their partnership with Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo under a three-year programme aimed at promoting natural diamonds and showcasing the country’s development story to global audiences.
The extended partnership builds on the original agreement launched in January 2025, when Tebogo was appointed a De Beers Global Ambassador. It will focus on the role of natural diamonds in supporting economic development, creating opportunities and improving livelihoods in Botswana.
The collaboration comes as Botswana celebrates 60 years of independence, with diamonds having played a major role in the country’s development since independence in 1966.
Under the campaign, titled “The Road to LA28”, Tebogo’s journey towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will be used to tell Botswana’s story of ambition, opportunity and progress. The campaign will feature content highlighting the dedication, sacrifices and support systems behind sporting success.
Tebogo said his achievements were closely connected to Botswana’s diamond heritage, pointing to investments in schools and sports facilities that have helped create opportunities for young athletes.
“My success story is connected to Botswana’s diamond heritage. The resources that built our schools and sports facilities helped create opportunities for young athletes like me,” he said.
He added that the partnership went beyond sport, highlighting how natural resources could drive positive change and create opportunities for future generations.
De Beers Group chief executive Al Cook said the extended partnership would demonstrate the connection between Botswana’s natural resources and the development of its people.
“We are proud to extend our partnership with Letsile Tebogo, showcasing how Botswana nurtures its human talent just as carefully as it develops its precious natural resources,” Cook said.
Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Kenewendo said the partnership provided an opportunity to share Botswana’s development story with international audiences while highlighting the contribution of natural diamonds to the country.
She said diamonds had helped transform Botswana and create opportunities for generations of Batswana, adding that Tebogo’s rise to Olympic champion demonstrated what could be achieved when talent meets opportunity.
Tebogo made history at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games when he won the men’s 200 metres in 19.46 seconds, becoming the first African to win Olympic gold in the event and the first Motswana to claim an Olympic gold medal.
His performance earned him the World Athletics Men’s Athlete of the Year award in 2024 and established him among the leading sprinters on the international circuit.
The new campaign builds on De Beers’ Talent Unearthed platform, linking Tebogo’s sporting achievements to Botswana’s broader development narrative.
For De Beers and the government, the partnership also offers an opportunity to promote natural diamonds internationally at a time when Botswana is seeking to sustain the sector’s contribution to its economy and national development.
