Surprise Golds Fuel Olympic Fervor In Central Asia

ALMATY -- Ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris, U.S. sports magazine Sports Illustrated (SI) projected its likely podium finishes for all 329 medal events at the games.

The predictions were a mixed bag for the five countries of Central Asia, with Kazakhstan expected to endure its worst-ever medal haul and Uzbekistan predicted to fall short of its eye-catching, boxing-dominated showing eight years ago in Rio de J