There’s a minor sports revolution going on in Mongolia, the giant landlocked Asian country most associated with Genghis Khan and famous for its “three manly sports” of archery, horse racing and, the most prestigious, wrestling.
The two-week Asian Games offer a glimpse at a changing Mongolia, a vast nation sandwiched between China and Russia with only 3.3 million people. Its ancient history is slowly giving way to the modern, including a growing passion for youth sports with breakdancing at the forefront.
Breaking is included in next year’s Paris Olympics, so that’s the next big stage for Mongolia to show off its moves.
Despite its roots in street dance in urban America, the sport has surprisingly deep connections in Mongolia. It began to emerge after the country’s democratic revolution in 1990, which ended years of domination by the former Soviet Union.
Mongolia’s lone gold medal so far at the Asian Games was in boxing — a more traditional sport — where B.Chinzong won in the men’s 57-63.5-kilogram class.
But two of four silver medals have come in women’s 3×3 basketball and esports. And there’s also a bronze medal in men’s 3×3 basketball, where Mongolia edged South Korea 21-20.
The rest of the medals have been spread out across judo, shooting, boxing, cycling and the wresting sport of kurash. Many of Mongolia’s Olympic medals traditionally have come in wrestling and, in these Asian Games, Mongolian men and women have won roughly the same number of medals.
D.Tugstur, who took a silver medal in esports — the multiplayer online battle arena Dota 2 video game competition — made his feelings known a few days ago after a close loss to a powerful Chinese team.
Mongolia has just over 400 athletes at the Asian Games, less than half the size of large delegations from China, Japan or South Korea.
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