Afghanistan win first ever Olympic medal
BEIJING (AP) — Afghanistan won their first Olympic medal Wednesday, when Rohullah Nikpai defeated world champion Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain to take the bronze in the men’s under 58-kilogram taekwondo competition.
Flashy kicker Nikpai, who has been practicing the Korean martial art since he was 10, defeated Ramos 4-1 in their bronze medal playoff, outscoring his limping opponent. Nikpai was placed second in the World Taekwondo Federation’s world qualifying event in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam last year. The Games medal brings him a $50,000 prize from a mobile phone company in Afghanistan.
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As China and the United States battle to claim the most Olympic medals – with gold-medal and all-medal counts being frantically tallied and talked about – many other countries’ athletes are overjoyed to take home their nations’ first gold, or even bronze.
Kings and presidents make personal calls to congratulate the winners, and millions cheer on their tiny delegations with pride.
“It’s a great honor for us to win Afghanistan’s first medal for the Olympics,” said Farhad Kheslat, President of Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee.
“We are quite happy, I can’t express it,” Kheslat said after Rohullah Nikpai won a bronze medal in the men’s under 58-kilogram taekwondo competition.
President Hamid Karzai called the athlete to congratulate him for his Olympic contribution to the war torn country that’s competed in 11 Games since 1936.
Here is the full article.
According to FOX news, in addition to other prizes by various companies, President Hamid Karzai will award him a house!
Susan, here’s a tough question: Whom will you root for in the men’s water polo gold-medal final, Hungary or the USA? Hungary are not the underdogs here: gold medal winners in 2000 and 2004, and historical leader overall.
As with Obama’s VP candidates, you are permitted not to answer :-).
Ken,
To be honest, I am not following water polo much. May the better team win. I am OK with either result.
As for Obama, according to my chess-strategy-like evaluation, I think he will pick Joe Biden.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
What chess piece is Joe Biden?
Bishop – near King and Queen
This Afghanistan story is remarkable.
On the contrary, I recall Javier Sotomanyor winning Gold for Cuba in the Men’s High Jump event at the Barcelona ’92 Olympics. He received only a bedside refrigerator as reward from the Cuban government. I am talking a mini-fridge of probably 80 dollars or less!!!