Lee Bhekempilo Eppie

From college racing to the opening lap for Botswana

Lee Bhekempilo Eppie is a Botswana 400m runner and the lead-off man in the quartet that won the 2025 world title and the 2026 World Relays. His best individual lap came at home in Francistown on 16 August 2025. He ran 44.40 to hold off Bayapo Ndori, the athlete who would take world bronze a month later. Eppie reached that same world final in Tokyo, finishing eighth. Three days later he took the baton to the start line for Botswana and helped the team win in 2:57.76. He had raced in the American college system for Iowa Central and Mississippi State before those two Tokyo finals. In Gaborone the following May, his opening 44.26 put Botswana in front at the first exchange. It was the first leg of a 2:54.47 relay, the fastest a team from Africa had ever run. Eleven days later he won the individual African 400m title in Accra in 44.66.

Lee Bhekempilo Eppie's published record includes performances from 2018 to 2026 in 400 Metres, 400m, 400m (indoor), 200 Metres, 400 Metres Short Track, 200 Metres Short Track. Selected recorded events include Gaborone AUSC Region 5 Youth Games (2018; source checked); World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 2026 (2026; source checked); Minnesota State Invitational (2020; source checked).