Cologne (SID) – In Germany there was “only” 20,000 euros for Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo, while in Turkmenistan the first Olympic medalist was able to look forward to a whole package of bonuses. Weightlifter Polina Guryeva received two keys for her historic silver medal at a ceremony in the capital Ashgabat on Saturday, one for a three-room apartment and one for a new SUV, as well as $ 50,000 in cash.
Gurjewa took second place in the lightweight class up to 59 kg in Tokyo and gave the Central Asian country its first Olympic precious metal since its independence in 1991. The Turkmen shooter Marat Nijasow had already won silver in Rome in 1960, but under the flag of the former Soviet Union.
The award ceremony for Guryeva was carried out by the son of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. The head of the presidential republic is known for his tough and repressive leadership. Turkmenistan with its almost six million inhabitants benefits economically from large gas reserves and has been governed by a one-party system around President Berdymuchamedow since 2007.
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