First Olympic Medal for Afghanistan

Rohullah Nikpai, has won Afghanistan its first ever medal at the Olympic games in Beijing. He competed in the 58kg category, defeating Juan Antonio Ramos from Spain to win the bronze medal in Taekwondo. Nikpai, an ethnic Hazara, was a member of the Afghan refugee team, when he left Kabul after fighting in the city, to live in refugee camps set up in Iran. He returned and was able to train in the Olympic training facility provided by the government. Hamid Karzai immediately called Nikpai to congratule him on his victory and rewarded him with a brand new house in Kabul. He also recieved a new Toyota sedan and $20,000 from the owner of the countries main cellphone network. Many in Afghanistan were overjoyed with his success, with some reporting that Taliban also fired gunshots into the open sky in the district of Panjwai and some areas of Helmand province, in honour of his victory.