DUSHANBE, January 31, 2009, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan”s first-ever Olympic medalist is working as a taxi driver in Moscow to make ends meet, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on January 30.
Rasul Boqiev — who won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics — says he continues to train and hopes to win more medals for Tajikistan.
His father and first trainer, Khudoinazar Boqiev, told RFE/RL”s Tajik Service that his son received Tajikistan”s Medal of Honor and $2,300 from the Tajik government after the Olympics, but soon had to move to Russia to find work.
