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Turkmenistan to Debut at Beijing Olympics

Friday, 20 July, 2007

Русский

Turkmenistan to Debut at Beijing Olympics

Russia’s national youth swimming team coaches are traveling to Ashgabat in August to train potential candidates for Turkmenistan’s first Olympic swimming team.

Turkmenistan has been absent from the international sports arena since former president Sapurmarat Niazov enforced an isolationist policy after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A 17-year-old Turkmen skater was the first to reverse the trend when he competed in this year’s Winter Asian Games.

Possible candidates for the 2008 Beijing Olympic teams have already been selected and the country will be represented in Greek and freestyle wrestling, boxing, athletics, swimming, shooting and beach volleyball.

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