BEIJING: Rohullah Nikpai won Afghanistan’s first medal at an Olympics yesterday, upsetting world flyweight champion Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain to take bronze in the men’s 58-kg taekwondo category.
Guillermo Perez triumphed over Yulis Gabriel Mercedes of the Dominican Republic in a dramatic final to be Mexico’s first man to win gold since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
In his bronze medal bout, Nikpai stayed cool and grew in confidence, playing off a supportive crowd and burying the Spaniard in the third round.
He fell to his knees after the referee called time and wept after embracing his coaches.
“I hope this medal can be a message of peace in Afghanistan,” said 21-year-old Nikpai, whose home region of Maidan Wardak is a hot-bed of insurgency.
Nikpai is sure of a hero’s welcome when he returns home.
A mobile phone tycoon promised the team $50,000 if they brought back a medal and the head of a local welfare organization had pledged $10,000 for a bronze.
Afghanistan’s previous best finish was a fifth place in wrestling at the Tokyo Games in 1964.
In the gold medal bout, neither Perez nor Mercedes were able to score in extra time after an aerially spectacular match between two good friends.
Referees handed the match to the stronger-attacking Perez who screamed at the heavens before embracing Mercedes. “(When I heard) the national anthem, I was truly emotional and I got goosebumps,” Perez said.
Athens champion Chu Mu-Yen of Taiwan recovered from his shock quarter-final loss to Mercedes to beat Chutchawal Khawlaor of Thailand 4-1 in the other bronze decider.
Chinese world champion Wu Jingyu never looked in doubt after defeating Yang Shu-Chun of Taiwan in the semi-final of the women’s 49-kg class, a tense bout that had fans on both sides of the Taiwan Strait screaming with emotion.
Wu duly outclassed surprise finalist Buttree Puedong of Thailand, and saluted ecstatic fans as she became China’s third taekwondo gold medallist.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” Wu said.
Dalia Contreras of Venezuela beat Mildred Alango of Kenya to take one bronze, and Daynellis Montejo of Cuba defeated Taiwan’s Yang in sudden death to take the other.
