Welcoming the winning Uzbek women's boxing team

Today there were many people from the Uzbek Women’s Boxing Team on my flight. I sat next to one of the coaches and learned they had competed in Serbia, but that was the extent of his English. I wondered if they would be greeted at the airport. Seemed like the kind of traditional thing I might see in a former Soviet country.

Well, when I got to the passport line I could hear a marching band playing and sure enough, the team was greeted with great fanfare like hometown heroes. Each one received a tradition full length jacket and beautiful flowers and the four who won medals showed them off to the eager group of photographers and press.

I just googled and learned they got one silver and three bronze medals. This marks the best-ever result for Uzbekistan’s women’s boxing at the World Championships Bravo Uzbekistan women!

If only the band was there to greet me though… Hello Uzbekistan! My 74th country.