Botswana Unveils Diamond-Accented Medals for the 2026 World Athletics Relays
The Southern African diamond-rich nation is hosting the games and adding sparkle to its prizes for the World Athletics Relays.
Diamond-accented medals for the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26. (Courtesy of House of Botswana)
At 60, Botswana has never shone brighter. Launching its ‘60 Years of Diamond Leadership Initiative’—a combined effort with its government and diamond sector—the event announced diamond-accented medals for the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, to be held in Botswana on May 2nd and 3rd, marking the first time it’s been held in any African country since its 2014 inception.
Meet the Expert
Roxanne Robinson is an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience between New York and Paris. She covers the luxury and fashion industries, spending 18 years as WWD’s Accessories and Jewelry Director. She is the New York Contributing Editor for Fashion Network, and regularly contributes to the New York Times, the CFDA, Forbes, and more.
Botswana Celebrates 60 Years of Independence and Natural Diamonds
Botswana is hosting a track and field event and marking its gold, silver, and bronze prizes with its most valuable resource—natural diamonds. The event is part of the six-decade celebration of the country’s independence and mining industry. The timing is poignant. The country recently earned its first gold in Tokyo at last September’s World Athletics Championships, a sister competition to the World Athletics Relays. Diamonds and athletic excellence both reflect discipline, resilience, and value, qualities shown in the medals. The medals also reflect Botswana’s rich gemological history worldwide.
At the announcement ceremony at the Botswana National Museum, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, addressed attendees. She noted the medals’ significance—representing the country’s rise from diamond extraction to world-renowned production status. Diamonds have provided public value and fostered international participation through culture, tourism, local enterprise, and sport, as highlighted by the race.
“Today, Botswana stands as a benchmark for ethical luxury. Here, diamonds are valued for their integrity, traceability, and their contribution to national development,” Kenewendo told the crowd. She added that Botswana’s future will highlight provenance, socio-economic impact, citizen participation, and business and technology growth.
Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko was also in attendance. He reflected on the broader impact of diamonds. He noted their role in Botswana’s infrastructure, healthcare, education, and global standing. He said the games are a platform for resilience, growth, and excellence.
How the Diamond Industry Came Together for a Global Event
The initiative is an industry-wide effort. It involves stakeholders in the diamond value chain, such as Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), De Beers Group, Debswana Diamond Company, Diamond Trading Company Botswana, Lucara Botswana, and KGK Diamonds, working through the House of Botswana. Each contributed time and resources.
To wit, ODC’s partnership with Ankit Gems and SRK offered polishing services alongside Nungu Diamonds, proving that collaborative investment brings together several disciplines for maximum payoff. In this case, diamond polishing, jewelry-making capability, creative industry development, and sport-for-development policies yielded the medals.
Botswana’s Rising Athletes Take the Spotlight
The medals, displayed at the ceremony, feature the World Athletics logo, which consists of a semi-circle with a double triangle at its base. The front also displays “Gaborone, Botswana’s capital” and the event year. Distinctive to Botswana, a triangular arch with sharply defined top lines frames the round brilliant diamond positioned at the medal’s top. The edge is designed to suggest either a flame or the stripes of a zebra, an animal native to Botswana.
Botswana’s track and field status has risen in recent years. The win at Tokyo was thanks to Collen Kebinatshipi, who ran the 400-meter sprint in 43.53 seconds. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Motswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo won the 200-meter race. He brought the country its first Olympic gold medal. Both men took part in the gold medal-winning relay at the World Athletics Relays in 2024. They topped their previous wins from 2021 (bronze) and 2017 (silver).
Beyond their sparkle, ODC’s aim is clear. The company wants diamonds to cast a positive light on Botswana, help build enterprise, support national development, and create new economic impact.
How Diamonds Support Culture and Community in Botswana
In the museum’s gallery, local artists displayed their work. These pieces highlighted unique Botswana artistic expression. They showed how diamonds nurture culture, creativity, and local talent at home and abroad.
The Leteise—a German-print and French, indigo-based traditional textile—tote bag was supported by Debswana’s Tokafala Enterprise Development scheme. The program trained 34 textile operators and reinforced Debswana’s enrichment initiatives. Debswana is a 61-year-old diamond partnership between De Beers and the government of Botswana.
Founded in 1969, following Botswana’s 1966 break from British rule, this partnership is a leading factor in Botswana’s transformation. Southern Africa is considered the birthplace of modern humans 200,000 years ago, yet Botswana first discovered its significant diamond deposits in 1967.
This discovery helped the third-poorest country at the time transition. Botswana moved into a modern, sophisticated society with global business and economic growth. Its rich natural resources—diamonds, gold, and copper—fueled this progress.
Kenewendo told Only Natural Diamonds in a previous interview that diamonds are life-giving. They matter not just to her as a Motswana, but to all Batswana. “Diamonds mean the opportunity to explore my potential,” she said. She added, “I’m a diamond baby because of the first woman minister in Botswana, Gaositwe Chiepe. She managed the negotiations with De Beers that led to the creation of Debswana. That allowed us to have free health care, free education, and lives beyond our dreams. Her negotiation helped diamonds transform our lives.”
Now, diamonds are transforming athletics and its awards.
