Afghanistan sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The team consisted of three men and one woman."Afghan Athletes Train for Beijing Olympic " , Afghan embassy to the United States, April 29, 2008"Afghan Tae Kwon Do Champ Aims for Olympic Glory", NPR, June 10, 2008 Initially, Mehboba Ahdyar prepared to run the 800 metres and 1500 metres,"Afghan Woman Runs Toward Olympics Despite Jeers, Potential Danger", Associated Press, March 16, 2008 but left her training camp on June 4 to seek political asylum in Norway.Female Afghan athlete likely still on the run, USA Today, July 21Fears ease after missing Afghan athlete found, Times of London, July 10 The country was represented by two competitors in athletics, and two in taekwondo. Afghanistan won its first ever Olympic medal at these games, with Rohullah Nikpai taking bronze in men's 58 kg taekwondo.
Medalists MedalNameSportEventRohullah NikpaiTaekwondoMen's 58 kg
Athletics
Competitors in athletics events could qualify for the next round of competition in two ways. Qualifying by right involved ranking high enough in their heat, and qualifying by result meant ranking high enough in overall standings. Ranks shown are therefore those within each heat, not in overall standings.
Men AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankMassoud Azizi100 m11.458Did not advance
Women AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankRobina Muqimyar100 m14.808Did not advance
Taekwondo
AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage Bronze MedalFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankRohullah NikpaiMen's −58 kgW 4–3L 1–2Did not advanceW 2–1W 4–1Did not advanceNesar Ahmad BahaveMen's −68 kgL 0–3Did not advanceL 3–4Did not advance
References