Off Track ..... House, new car for Afghanistan's medalist

KABUL: President Hamid Karzai awarded a house to Afghanistan's first Olympic medalist, Rohullah Nikpai, a presidential aid said Thursday, while a trading firm gave the taekwondo athlete a new car.

The 21-year-old Nikpai won a bronze medal in Beijing on Wednesday, beating world champion Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain 4-1 in a playoff final.

His victory has dominated the country's media, with over a dozen private television stations showing pictures of him bringing his rival to his knees.