Artist Martin Sefako pays homage to Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo the best way he knows how

Like most Batswana who were proud to see Letsile Tebogo get the country’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, artist Martin Sefako felt eager to pay homage to the sprinter and he did it the best way he knows how.

Sefako sketched Tebogo with his late mother, who passed away in May this year.

“The day he won the Olympic gold medal, big companies in Botswana started donating gifts to his cause — millions of money, houses. As a visual artist, I decided to also contribute what God has abled me to contribute and do my part,” Sefako told The Citizen.

Tebogo was the toast of his country and the whole continent after winning the Olympic 200-metre gold.

“Letsile Tebogo is the nation’s pride, Africa’s pride…the world knows our Botswana more than before because of him,” averred the artist.

Botswana’s Olympics team returned home on Tuesday to a rapturous welcome, where more than 20,000 people had the Botswana National Stadium covered in sky blue, with the national flag hoisted at every section of the arena.

A mother’s love

Sefako had previously drawn the Tebogo by himself but felt the need to add his late mother Seratiwa to the artwork since the athlete dedicated the win to her.

“I picked a photo of the moment he once ran off the field to go hug his mother, then I imagined wings on his mother’s back and them holding the gold medal he just won together in their hands,” said Sefako.

“I loved the concept in my head because after recently losing his mother the artwork depicts an eternal mother’s love, as his guardian angel celebrating her son’s Olympic gold medal even from the heavens.”

The A0 size artwork took a total of 12 hours to complete according to the artist, who started working on the pencil drawing the day after Tebogo clinched gold.

“At 3pm that Friday, I started drawing it up until taking a break at 8pm and continued the next day from 9am to 5pm – making a total of 12 hours, which is a very fast time for such a big portrait.”

Despite the toll it took on him, Sefako said: “I was motivated and energised by what the artwork could mean when it is done.”

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Well received

Sefako managed to hand over the artwork to its recipient. The artwork was well-received by the champion.

“It felt amazing to shake hands with the golden champion and hand over the artwork to him. You could see the love in his eyes and the support from his teammates as they posed with the artwork together with us,” Sefako shared.

The artist said he felt honoured to deliver the artwork gift after the support of the public and how Tebogo received it.

“Batswana received it amazingly online hitting thousands of love reactions just in the first minutes with warm comments that would make you shed a tear. By now, it has reached over a million views on the Internet and I’m just happy that it was well accepted and hope our champ will also love it.”

“My wish is that it will one day hang in one of Letsile Tebogo’s houses as a long-lasting reminder, memory and honour.”

Sefako, who is from Bostwana, has drawn other prominent people in the past including South African muso’s Makhadzi, Cassper Nyovest and comedian Trevor Noah.

“Art has been my daily job ever since doing thousands of portraits sending them to clients all over the world mostly SA based from my home studio in Botswana,” shared Sefako.

He said he’s been practising as an artist from an early age since he learnt how to hold a pencil.

“I had recognition from my preschool teachers and got maximum grades in art as a subject at junior school and high school. I studied architecture at the University of Botswana,” he said.

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