Last updated 6 months ago by Jessica Brooks | Published: July 26, 2021
What do you know about Mongolia and the Olympics? Those who have been to Ulaanbaatar may have passed it by at Olympic House on Chinggis Avenue without realising.
Mongolia made its Olympic debut in 1964 and has participated in every Summer Games since, except for the 1984 Olympics, which it boycotted alongside the Soviet Union. The country also made its first appearance at the Summer Paralympic Games in 2000 and has been a consistent participant ever since.
In 2008, Mongolia celebrated its first Olympic gold medal when Naidangiin Tüvshinbayar won in Judo’s men’s half heavyweight (100kg) category at the Beijing Olympics. That same year, Mongolia secured another gold in bantamweight boxing and a third gold at the Paralympics, thanks to Baatarjav Dambadondog in men’s archery recurve standing.
Upon winning, Mongolians flooded the streets of Ulaanbaatar in spontaneous celebration. Clever entrepreneurial kids quickly began selling Mongolian flags, perfectly capturing the festive spirit. The city erupted in a wave of vodka toasts, the national anthem, blaring car horns, and a spectacular display of fireworks. The national flag was seen everywhere, waving from hands, vehicles, and the tallest buildings. Main street junctions came to a complete standstill as everyone abandoned their plans to join in the joyous celebrations.
Image from www.lightstalkers.org
Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympics by forming the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, with Athens hosting the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. De Coubertin believed that “the important thing in life is not to triumph, but to compete.” This philosophy is embodied in the Olympic motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius” – “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” This motto challenges each competitor to strive for their personal best, a mindset that is clearly embraced by the Mongolian Olympic team.
Tuvshinbayar Naidan celebrating his semi-final victory. The province of Bulgan (the home province of Tuvshinbayar Naidan) held a Naadam Festival in his honour to celebrate his return. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
In 2012, we concluded a tour on the day of the London Olympics closing ceremony. That year, Mongolia didn’t win a gold medal, but they achieved their best-ever medal tally with five medals. During our farewell dinner, one of our clients asked Turuu, my co-founder of Eternal Landscapes, about Mongolia’s impressive haul despite the absence of a gold. In his self-taught English, buoyed by a couple of large draft Chinggis beers, he replied, “We are very happy. We are a country of about 3.2 million people, and five medals are good. The colour is not important – it’s being in the Olympics.” (This is not an exact quote, as I had also enjoyed a couple of large draft Chinggis beers myself!)
In 2016, Mongolia sent 43 athletes to the Rio Olympics—26 men and 17 women—competing across nine different sports, including judo, freestyle wrestling, boxing, track and field athletics (marathon), swimming, weightlifting, and recurve archery. Notably, 2016 marked Mongolia’s Olympic debut in taekwondo, and the team won two medals.
For the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Mongolia again sent 43 athletes, this time representing wrestling, judo, swimming, athletics, archery, shooting, weightlifting, table tennis, and boxing. In a historic first, Mongolia was represented in a team sport discipline with the 3×3 women’s basketball team. Mongolia came home with one silver and three bronze medals.
Looking ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mongolia will be proudly sending 32 athletes to compete in various sports, including archery, athletics, boxing, cycling, judo, shooting, weightlifting, freestyle wrestling, and swimming. Impressively, over 50% of the team is female, showcasing the increasing inclusivity and strength of Mongolia’s Olympic delegation.
The Mongolian Paralympic team also made a strong showing, with twelve athletes representing the nation in six sports: para archery, para judo, para taekwondo, para powerlifting, para athletics, and para swimming. Since Mongolia began competing in the Paralympic Games at the 2000 Summer Paralympics, its athletes have earned three gold and two bronze medals. Among these achievements is Mongolian athlete Surenjav Ulambayar, who won a gold medal in taekwondo in the women’s K44 -52 kg category at the Paris Games.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics team outfits deserved a medal of their own, designed by the Mongolian sister duo Michel&Amazonka.
In 2019, the Government of Mongolia announced a push to purchase domestically produced products to create a distinct ‘Mongolian’ brand and support local factories. In the competition among professional designers to determine who would tailor the outfits for the Olympic team, the Choigaalaa sisters’ progressive and stylish designs won hands down (Olympic Council Of Asia).
Mongolia’s 2020 Olympics uniform, designed by Michel & Amazonka, was a hit. The sisters have been selected again for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the national uniform for the Mongolian athletes is stunning.
“Female athletes’ outfits come with ceremonial earrings and embroidered bags, while male flag-bearers will wear an archery hat, belt, and traditional Mongolian boots.
Designs incorporate the national colors of blue, red, and white, as well as various traditional patterns and motifs, including the ‘Soyombo’ symbol that appears on the country’s flag. Motifs associated with Paris and the Games, namely the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic flame, also feature.
Each outfit took an average of 20 hours to craft, according to the Mongolian National Olympic Committee.”
(Oscar Holland, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/16/style/mongolia-olympic-uniform-2024/index.html)
For those interested in the designs of the talented Michel&Amazonka duo, visit their flagship store located in the Galleria shopping mall opposite Government House in Ulaanbaatar.
Mongolia’s 2020 Olympics uniform. Image by Michel&Amazonka. The Mon
Image by Michel&Amazonka
Get Involved
For more on Mongolia and the Olympics, see this great photo essay on Mongolian wrestler Mandakhnaran Ganzorig preparing for the 2012 Olympics – https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2012/feb/24/mongolia-olympics-2012-kieran-doherty
With skateboarding now included in the Olympics, learn more about skateboarding in Mongolia. Wrestling enthusiasts can stay updated with the wrestling schedule. If you’re interested in hands-on experiences, why not try your hand at archery? Our Mongolia Mongolia one-day tours, including our private archery experience, are flexible and designed to immerse you in the daily life of Mongolia.
Let us know if we can help! Jess @ Eternal Landscapes.