“Wah-wah-wee-wah.” What an embarrassing mistake this is. Gold medalist Maria Dmitrienko from Kazakhstan heard the fake Kazakh national anthem from the smash hit comedy “Borat” played instead of the real national song during her medal ceremony. To her credit, she never lets on that there’s an issue, doesn’t look upset, nor laugh at any point. Even when you hear
“Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan, you very nice place, from plains of tarashenk to northern fence of jewtown.”
and she graciously posed for photos with the other medalists following the ceremony.
This all happened after Dmitrienko won the 75 target event at the 10th Arab Shooting Championship in Kuwait. She stood on the podium with the event’s other medal winners and expected to hear “My Kazakhstan,” but instead heard the closing song from a movie that was banned in both Kuwait and Kazakhstand, but considered ground-breaking comedic genius in America.
Still, I’d be very offended if I were her, or a Kazakh, and believe me they were. A moment of competitive glory got ruined by a song mentioning decrepit swimming pools and superior potassium exports. Jenkuya!
Read more about it (Fourth Medal) Yagshemash!
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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