Mongolian Sports

The 3 Sports that are uniquely Mongolian


Mongolian Wrestling 

The wrestling in Mongolian can get interesting. Every year at Nadaam, there is a tournament in every city and village (as well as the 'national championship' in the capital). There are no weight classes (or distinctions of any kind between wrestlers) and essentially, the only rule is that the first wrestler to hit the ground (besides feet or hands) loses - and there's no second chances. Winner advances - loser in out. 

Victory

After winning a match, this is the victory dance (which represents that of an eagle).

The wrestling is performed in an open field ring made of grass - where several matches will be engaged at one given time (with matches ranging from a few seconds to over a half an hour). The interesting 'uniforms' were designed many generations ago when a woman secretly entered and beat all of the men - hence the attire to successfully expose the gender of the wrestler. The winner in UB's tournament becomes an instant household name.

Horse Racing

Coming to the finish line

Unlike horses back in the states, Mongolian horses are much smaller and wild. The racing is also very different in format. Rather than having quick-paced races around a track, Mongolian horse racing is up and down hills over a long distance often ranging from 5-20 kilometers. Furthermore, the jockeys are boys and girls ranging from 6 to 8 years of age.

The horses coming in from a distance

Archery

While often absent in smaller festivals, Archery remains popular as it can be practiced throughout alleyways and streets throughout Mongolian cities (a frequent site in Olgii). The archer stands an adequate distance away from stones that are lined up on the ground. Rather than having a sharp end that pierces a target, the goal is to knock over the rocks just before the arrow hits the ground.