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Page last updated at 15:27 GMT, Wednesday, 20 August 2008 16:27 UK

Afghans win first Olympic medal

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Video - Nikpai beats GB's Harvey

Rohullah Nikpai won Afghanistan's first ever Olympic medal when he took bronze in the taekwondo men's 58kg category.

He beat world champion Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain 4-1 in a play-off.

Taekwondo is one of the most popular sports in conflict-hit Afghanistan, which boasts more than 700 clubs and 25,000 competitors.

The nation - which has sent a team of four to Beijing - counted its previous best Olympic finish as a fifth place in the wrestling in 1964.

Nikpai's victory thousands of miles away has dominated news on several private television and radio stations in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai is reported to have spoken to Nikpai over the phone to congratulate him on his victory.

And the president of the Afghan Olympic committee, Mohammad Anawar Jegdalak, told the BBC the government would give the martial artist a house to mark the win.

He also said an organisation in Kabul plans to give Nikpai a gift of US$50,000.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art, brought to Kabul by an American master in 1972.


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Sunday, 24 August 2008 10:17 UK
RankCountryGoldSilverBronzeTOTAL
1also show each event results forSouth Korea4004
Men's Over 80kg100
Men's Under 68kg100
Women's Under 57kg100
Women's Under 67kg100
2also show each event results forMexico2002
Men's Under 58kg100
Women's Over 67kg100
3also show each event results forChina1012
Men's Under 80kg001
Women's Under 49kg100
4also show each event results forIran1001
Men's Under 80kg100
5also show each event results forUSA0123
Men's Under 68kg010
Men's Under 80kg001
Women's Under 57kg001
6also show each event results forTurkey0112
Men's Under 68kg001
Women's Under 57kg010
7also show each event results forCanada0101
Women's Under 67kg010
8also show each event results forDominican Rep0101
Men's Under 58kg010
9also show each event results forGreece0101
Men's Over 80kg010
10also show each event results forItaly0101
Men's Under 80kg010
11also show each event results forNorway0101
Women's Over 67kg010
12also show each event results forThailand0101
Women's Under 49kg010
13also show each event results forChinese Taipei0022
Men's Under 58kg001
Men's Under 68kg001
14also show each event results forCroatia0022
Women's Under 57kg001
Women's Under 67kg001
15also show each event results forAfghanistan0011
Men's Under 58kg001
16also show each event results forBrazil0011
Women's Over 67kg001
17also show each event results forCuba0011
Women's Under 49kg001
18also show each event results forFrance0011
Women's Under 67kg001
19also show each event results forGreat Britain0011
Women's Over 67kg001
20also show each event results forKazakhstan0011
Men's Over 80kg001
21also show each event results forNigeria0011
Men's Over 80kg001
22also show each event results forVenezuela0011
Women's Under 49kg001

see also
Afghan black belt eyes Olympic medal
06 Aug 08 |  South Asia
BBC Olympics blog
15 Aug 08 |  Olympics
Beijing 2008
14 Feb 08 |  Olympics


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