| Mongolia at the 2016 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | MGL |
| NOC | Mongolian National Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| in Rio de Janeiro | |
| Competitors | 43 in 9 sports |
| Flag bearer | Temuulengiin Battulga[1] |
| Medals Ranked 67th |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
.jpg)
Mongolia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. Since the nation made its debut in 1964, Mongolian athletes had appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, because of its partial support to the Soviet boycott.
The Mongolian National Olympic Committee fielded a team of 43 athletes, 26 men and 17 women, across nine different sports at the Games. It was the nation's largest delegation sent to the Olympics in a non-boycotting edition, tying the record with the number of athletes achieved in Moscow 1980.[2] Among the sporting events represented by the nation's athletes, Mongolia marked its Olympic debut in taekwondo, as well as its return to weightlifting after an eight-year hiatus.
The Mongolian roster featured 11 returning Olympians, with only three of them having won medals at the previous editions of the Games: judoka Naidangiin Tüvshinbayar, who emerged as the nation's most decorated athlete with two medals; freestyle wrestler Soronzonboldyn Battsetseg, who obtained the bronze in the women's 63 kg division, and pistol shooter Otryadyn Gündegmaa, who established a historic record as the first Mongolian to participate in six Olympics. Other notable Mongolian athletes featured Asian Games champion Dorjnyambuugiin Otgondalai in men's lightweight boxing, marathon runner and four-time Olympian Bat-Ochir Ser-Od, and heavyweight judoka Temuulengiin Battulga, who was selected by the committee as the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.[1]
Mongolia left Rio de Janeiro with only two medals (one silver and one bronze); each was awarded to Otgondalai and lightweight judoka Dorjsürengiin Sumiyaa (women's 57 kg).[3] Several Mongolian athletes narrowly missed out of the podium, including judokas Mönkhbatyn Urantsetseg and Lkhagvasürengiin Otgonbaatar, who both placed fifth in their respective weight categories, and freestyle wrestler Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran, who controversially lost the bronze medal match to Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Navruzov in the men's 65 kg division, provoking a protest against the decision by his coaches while stripping their clothes off.[4][5]
- ^ a b Baatar, Tungalag (21 July 2016). "President Ts.Elbegdorj attends the send off for the Mongolian Olympic team". UB Post. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
- ^ "ТАНИЛЦ: Рио2016-д оролцож буй 43 МОНГОЛ тамирчин" [Introduction: 43 Mongolian athletes will participate in Rio 2016] (in Mongolian). Ikon.mn. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ "Д.Сумъяа, Д.Отгондалай нарыг байраар шагналаа" [Dorjsürengiin Sumiyaa and Dorjnyambuugiin Otgondalai granted the prize] (in Mongolian). News.mn. 28 August 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ Fenno, Nathan (21 August 2016). "Rio Olympics: Mongolian wrestling coaches strip in protest of loss". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ Scott, Nate (22 August 2016). "Mongolian wrestling coaches go nuts, strip down after unfavorable decision". USA Today. Retrieved 15 November 2016.