DUSHANBE, December 5, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan has won its first bronze medal in the 15 ^th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.  

Yesterday, Tajik athlete Rasul Boqiyev won the bronze medal, finishing third in the men’s –73 kg judo.  

Tajik sportsmen are competing in 14 sports: taekwon-do; karate-do; athletics; boxing; table tennis; free-style wrestling; judo; soccer, weightlifting, etc.  The Sports Committee and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) have provided funds for participation of our athletes in the Games in Qatar.    

Nearly 12,000 athletes from 45 countries across the Asian continent converged on Doha, to compete for fame and glory.  Athletes are competing in the following sports: archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, body building, bowling, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cue sports, cycling, equestrian, fencing, soccer, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, karate-do, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, soft tennis, squash, table tennis, taekwon-do, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu

The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a multi-sport event  held every four years among atletes from all over Asia.  The Games are regulated by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).  Medals are awarded in each event, with gold for first place, silver for secodn and bronze for third, a tradition which started in 1950.  

According to an official website of the 15 ^th Asian Games, China with 38 golden, 20 silver and 11 bronze medals tops the games.