DUSHANBE, August 10, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) president Bahrullo Rajabaliyev has congratulated all Tajik sportsmen on an Athlete Day, which is marked in Tajikistan on August 10.  

            Vamarij Murodov, a spokesman for Tajikistan’s NOC, says that currently, Tajik athletes are competing for the right to participate in the Games of the XXIX Olympiad that will be held in Beijing next year.  

“In September, known Tajik judo players Nematullo Asronqulov, Sherali Bozorov and Rustan Boqiyev will take part in an Open Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro,” said the spokesman, “If they finish competitions among the top eight athletes, they will have the right to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.” 

            We will recall that so far, only one Tajik athlete – hummer thrower Dilshod Nazarov – has won the right to participate in he 2008 Summer Olympic Games, finishing first in Ukraine’s Open Championships.