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.
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| Behrouz Mehri / AFP - Getty Images |
Rohullah Nikpai of Afghanistan celebrates his third-place win during the medal ceremony for the men’s 58-kilogram taekwondo competition, in Beijing, on Wednesday. |
“We are quite happy, I can’t express it,” Kheslat said after Rohullah Nikpai won a bronze medal for the men’s under 58-kilogram taekwondo competition.
President Hamid Karzai called the athlete to congratulate him for his contribution to the war torn country that’s competed in 11 Olympic Games since 1936.
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