Astana, Kazakhstan: Mongolia is one of the few countries to have taken part in every edition of the Asian Winter Games since the inaugural event in Sapporo, Japan, in 1986. Coming into the 7th AWG in Kazakhstan, however, Mongolia had managed to win only two bronze medals, in men’s cross-country ski relay (Sapporo 1990) and women’s freestyle (Changchun  2007).

But this time Mongolia captured a bronze medal on the very first day of the Games, January 31, in the men’s ski orienteering sprint.

Mr. Bayaraa Gerelt-Od finished third, while his team-mate E. Barkhuu placed fourth, leaving behind seven skiers from China, Kyrgyzstan, Korea and Iran. The Mongolian athletes came to Kazakhstan early for joint training with the host team and this played a big part in their success.

The Mongolia NOC is targeting more medals in ski orienteering relay and is aiming for the silver medal in bandy in which three teams are competing. The others are Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Mongolia’s Chef de Mission, Jambal Khatanbaatar, is hoping to achieve two records in Kazakhstan: to win 2-3 medals and to claim its first-ever winter silver medal in their sporting history.

Mongolia NOC has sent 48 athletes to the 7th Asian Winter Games, in skating, short track, ice hockey, alpine skiing, freestyle, bandy and ski orienteering.