At this year’s World Athletics Relays in Gaborone 2026, the medals carried more than gold, silver and bronze. Each one featured a natural diamond sourced and crafted in Botswana by South African brand Nungu Diamonds, turning the global event into a showcase of Botswana’s leading diamond industry and transformative influence in athletics.
Botswana hosts the World Athletics Relays with diamond solitaire medals medals
As the first African nation to host the championship since its 2014 inception1, Botswana used the moment to showcase how deeply diamonds remain woven into its cultural and economic story.
The significance of Botswana hosting the event
Botswana’s modern diamond history began shortly after its independence 60 years ago in 1966, when major diamond deposits were discovered the following year2. At the time, it was one of the world’s poorest nations. The creation of Debswana in 1969, a partnership between De Beers and the Botswana government, became central to the country’s transformation, helping fund healthcare, education and infrastructure3.
That history made Botswana’s hosting of the World Athletics Relays feel especially symbolic. By hosting the event with diamond solitaire medals, Botswana connected its sporting rise with the natural resource that helped shape the nation’s modern identity.
Why medals at the World Relays feature natural diamonds
Designed and crafted in Botswana, the medals featured the World Athletics logo alongside references to the host nation, including zebra-inspired detailing and a round-brilliant natural diamond set at the top.
For Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), the medals were about more than athletics. The initiative places Botswana’s diamonds, diamond crafting expertise, and creative industries on an international stage while supporting local enterprise at home4.
A national story of diamonds, industry and transformation
Botswana’s diamond industry has long been tied to the country’s economic growth, with local diamond cutting, polishing and production becoming increasingly central to that vision.
Botswana’s diamond value chain: from natural recovery to polishing
Former president Festus Mogae once said that every diamond purchase represented “food on the table, better living conditions, better healthcare, potable and safe drinking water and more roads to connect remote communities.”5 Today, diamonds remain central to Botswana’s economy and exports.
The World Athletics Relays reflected that wider diamond value chain in motion, bringing together companies across the Botswana diamond sector, including ODC, Debswana, De Beers Group Botswana and Diamond Trading Company Botswana6.
How the diamond industry contributed to the World Relays medals
ODC’s collaboration with Ankit Gems, SRK and Nungu Diamonds combined diamond cutting, polishing, jewelry-making and local craftsmanship to create the medals, showcasing Botswana’s growing expertise beyond natural diamond recovery alone7.
Voices from the event: symbolism, pride and national development
Speaking at the Botswana National Museum, Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, described the medals as a reflection of the country’s evolution from diamond extraction to globally recognized production and craftsmanship. She said Botswana’s diamonds continue to support national development through culture, tourism, local enterprise and sport.
“Today, Botswana stands as a benchmark for ethical luxury,” Kenewendo said. “Here, diamonds are valued for their integrity, traceability, and their contribution to national development.”8
Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko also reflected on the broader role diamonds have played in the country’s infrastructure, healthcare, education, and global standing, describing the games as a platform for resilience, growth and excellence9.
Botswana’s rising profile in global athletics
The timing felt especially significant for Botswana athletics. After relay podium finishes in 2017 and 2021, the country claimed gold at the 2024 World Athletics Relays before Letsile Tebogo secured Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal in Paris10. The sprinter also wore a natural diamond pendant from Forevermark (opens in new window), further honoring the nation’s diamond heritage.
Adding to the celebratory spirit in Gaborone, the home team closed this year’s World Athletics Relays with victory in the men’s 4x400m final, turning the championship into a historic moment for the host nation11.
Watching Botswana’s athletes stand victorious wearing diamond solitaire medals crafted in their own country felt especially powerful, tying the nation’s newest sporting triumph to the diamonds that helped shape modern Botswana.
Beyond sport: what the diamond medals represent for Botswana
The diamond solitaire medals represent far more than athletic achievement. They reflect Botswana’s journey to become a country shaped by natural diamonds, local industry and global ambition.
From natural diamond formation deep within the Earth to diamond cutting, polishing and crafting within Botswana itself, the medals captured the full arc of the country’s diamond sector. At the same time, they placed Botswana’s athletes, creativity and economic progress in front of a global audience.
For Botswana, the World Athletics Relays became more than a sporting event. They became a visible symbol of how the country continues to shape its future through diamonds.
Sources
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/botswana-diamonds/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/botswana-diamonds/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.naturaldiamonds.com/responsible/world-athletics-relays/ ↩︎
- www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/gaborone26/news/report/gaborone-26-report-men-4x400m-final/ ↩︎
