07 Aug 2016

Team Botswana was an attractive lot at the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro in the early hours of Saturday.

The national flag blended well with the attire that the team put on.

The flag bearer, Nijel Amos, wore a blue blazer, white shirt and black trouser and immediately twitter went abuzz, not only from Batswana, but from people as far as Europe.

This is what they said: 

Bruno Ziggy Brown @brunocockapoo #Rio2016 #Opening Ceremony #Botswana looking smart in their national flag colours.

Yung Sunflower@mellyfishing@the boi carrying the flay for Botswana: can I get ur number.

Jesse Calhoun Bethea@jesscalhon Did Botswana change the flag#opening ceremony. Julia Hayden@julenesque I like Botswana’s flag and the outfits they’ve matched beautifully to it.

Becky Belec@beckeybelec But let us talk about the blue on Botswana’s flag, stunning!!Dream bedroom paint colour.

Kim Love@kimmaytube #Brazil flag is my favourite of the world but #Botswana’s flag maybe my second favourite. I need to learn the history behind it#Rio 2016

Baby Girl @PrettyLadyyTey makes me happy to see that someone out there thinks our national colours are beautiful. 

Team Botswana’s colours followed President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama last year.

“I talked to Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng, on the need to be consistent with the colours the teams representing the nation should don while on international engagements being blue, white and black, giving blue the prominence.”

President Khama said in September last year when welcoming Team Botswana from All Africa Games that were held in Congo Brazzaville. President Khama was not comfortable with all black attire donned by Team Botswana at the All Africa Games opening ceremony. ENDS