Home team triumphs in ‘Mongolia Open-2018’ wrestling tournament

The Mongol Messenger
ooluun@montsame.mn
2018-06-15 16:20:46
 The ‘Mongolia Open-2018’ International Freestyle Wrestling Tournament was held on 9-10 June at the Buyant-Ukhaa Sport Palace. A total of 225 athletes from Mongolia, Australia, Kazakhstan, China, Korea, Belarus, the US, Puerto Rico, Tuva, Sakha-Yakutia, Irkutsk and Buryatia competed in the men and women’s ten weight categories respectively. This year, the tournament acquired a status of women’s world ranking and marks the selection of athletes and teams to compete in Jakarta 2018 Asian Games.
 
The Mongolian team led the ‘Mongolia Open-2018’ tournament with 10 gold,14 silver and 14 bronze medals. The Russian team took second place with 7 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze. The Kazakh team followed Russia with 3 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze.
 
On the first day of the tournament, the men’s 57, 65, 74, 86, 97 kg, women’s 50, 55, 59, 65, 72 kg competitions were held with Mongolian and Russian wrestlers winning in 4 categories respectively and two Kazakh wrestlers winning in men’s category.
 
Twice World Championship bronze medalist, Asian Champion, State Honoured Athlete E.Bekhbayar won in his weight category for the fourth consecutive year. Moreover, twice Asian Championships bronze medalist, World Youth Champion E.Davaachimeg became the champion for the fourth time while B.Shoovdor and Z.Bolortungalag won for the first time. Athletes from Russia including Viktor Rassadin of Sakha-Yakutia, Arsalan Budazhapov of Buryatia and Valeriya Chepsarakova of Kemerovo won for the second time in the Ulaanbaatar ring.
 
Multiple exciting matches occurred on the last day of the tournament. In the match between Hero of Labour of Mongolia S.Battsetseg and State Honoured Athlete P.Orkhon in the women’s 62 kg, P.Orkhon defeated her rival, making their win ratio 5:1 since last year. In the women’s 57kg World Championships gold and silver medalist S.Tserenchimed won the fight with World Youth Champion A.Battsetseg - 4:4.
 
The World Championships silver medalist, State Honoured Athlete P.Unurbat competed for the first time in the men’s 79 kg and won in the category. In men’s 125 kg, the heaviest category, Baldan Tsyzhipov of Buryatia won gold for the fourth consecutive year.
B.Misheel