NATIONAL TEAM ATHLETES SET RECORD IN BOTH QUALITY AND QUANTITY

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ 2017 has proved to be a special year for people working in sports industry, as it has brought record-breaking number of victories. Physical Culture and Sports Authority (PCSA) has been consistently training national team athletes in 19 different sports and sending them to international and world championships. As a result, 14 medals were won at world championships, out of which 4 are gold, 2 are silver and 7 are bronze. The previous record was 8 medals won in world championships in a year. Additionally, 2 gold and 5 silver medals were gained at World Junior Championships; 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze medals at World Cup Championships. 1 gold, 1 bronze medals were won at Universiades, 1 gold, 1 bronze at Asian Indoor Games, 8 gold, 10 silver, 14 bronze medals at Asian Championships. Furthermore, national judo team claimed 4 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze medals at Tokyo Grand Slam and 6 gold, 5 silver, 11 bronze medals at Grand Prix. A total of 358 athletes and coaches of PCSA’s National Team have participated in various international tournaments, gatherings, and trainings according to their schedules. National Team competed in 66 international games, 43 domestic trainings, 3 cooperative trainings and earned 35 gold, 29 silver, 57 bronze medals. Specifically, 12 gold, 12 silver, 27 bronze medals were won by judo wrestlers; 5 gold, 5 silver, 16 bronze medals by freestyle wrestlers; 6 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze medals by weightlifters; 2 gold, 1 silver by para-powerlifters; 1 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze by boxers; 2 silver, 3 bronze by taekwondo athletes; 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze by track and field athletes; and finally 4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze by para-taekwondo athletes. These achievements are certain to be remembered with pride in the coming years. This year, National Judo Team has claimed an unprecedented number of medals from World Championship. What’s more, International Sports Master M. Ankhtsetseg won Mongolia’s first IWF World Weightlifting Championship medal; 3x3 basketball players won Asian Championship for the first time, B. Achbadrakh claimed bronze medal from Nordic World Ski Championships and para-taekwondo athlete Kh.Enkhtuya triumphed a gold medal at World Para-Taekwondo championships. These are all pioneering feats in Mongolian sports history. Apart from the victories mentioned, Olympic champion N. Tuvshinbayar became the first athlete to receive the Chinggis Khaan Order, top state award conferred upon outstanding individuals. S.Battsetseg and D.Sumiya were awarded Heroes of Labor, and P.Orkhon, B.Mungunchimeg, G.Odbayar, D.Otgontsetseg were recognized as State Honored Athletes.