M.Togtokhbayar: I hope I can win gold if I do sambo until I’m 30

Member of the national team, International Master M.Togtokhbayar from Khurd Club is a successful Mongolian sambo practitioner...

Member of the national team, International Master M.Togtokhbayar from Khurd Club is a successful Mongolian sambo practitioner. He started training in sports with support of his parents. He participated in all types of local judo and sambo tournaments as a strong contender in his weight division. Wrestling and martial art fans love to see the athlete, who has mostly won silver medals to date. The talented sambo practitioner won silver medals from Asian Championship in 2017, Youth Championship and World Martial Arts Mastership in Jinju, South Korea in 2019. We interviewed him to inspire others with his story of success in sports.

...I’ve been practicing sambo since 2015. As it’s similar to folk wrestling in many ways, it felt familiar...

You practice various kinds of wrestling and martial arts, and won several medals from judo and sambo tournaments. Did you decide to become an athlete on your own?

My father’s side has many wrestlers. There are many famous athletes who were born in Tes soum, Uvs Province, where I was also born in. Ulsyn Khartsaga N.Jargalbayar and T.Baasankhuu are my close relatives. Currently, I practice judo, sambo, kurash wrestling and jiu jitsu. I got interested since the time I saw other older students training when I first came to the gym to study under Y.Battogtokh. I gave all my love to judo that day although I came to train as a folk wrestler. I still hold dear my first bronze medal. When I was just starting, I competed in the Province Championship and defeated my opponent in semifinals. However, I was disqualified because I fought wearing a t-shirt and ended up with a bronze medal. When I came back home wearing the medal, my parents were extremely happy and proud of me. After the tournament, I won the Western Regional Championship, which took place in Govi-Altai Province. My first medal challenged me in many ways, so I put it on top of my other medals.

I heard most of your medals are silver. It’s a valuable achievement for athletes. Which tournament motivated you the most?

I won silver from the National Youth Championship in 2015. I was motivated by the accomplishment and started trying to compete in Asian and World Championships. My parents have been supporting me since the day I started in every possible way. They support me with expenses of many local and international competitions, as well as my college fee. I continued my training under the supervision of coach D.Enkhbold when I came to Ulaanbaatar to study in Shonkhor Physical Education College. Then I won backto-back silvers from the Youth Championship. In 2017, I also finished second in the Asian Judo Championship and World Judo Championship. In 2019, I won another silver medal from the World Martial Arts Mastership, which was held in Jingju, South Korea. You could say that silver medals are attracted to me since most of the medals I won are silver. When I look at my medals, it feels like they are telling me, “You are one step away from becoming champion. You can turn the color into gold.” I’m currently at my prime. I’m planning to wrestle until I’m 30.

It’s common for judokas to compete in sambo tournaments. When did you get interested in sambo?

I’ve been practicing sambo since 2015. As it’s similar to folk wrestling in many ways, it felt familiar. In 2017, I headed to Novi Sad, Serbia to take part in the World Sambo Championship under the supervision of coach Ts.Bayarsaikhan, along with the national team. I learned that international tournaments are on another level while competing against the top athletes of the world. Success of athletes depends on their mentality and I have to be prepared wherever the tournament is held in. Since I managed to pay for my expenses that year, I headed to Serbia with a goal to make my parents proud. I succeeded and brought back a silver medal.

I heard athletes from Khurd Club are really

proud of coach D.Enkhbold. Tell us about his methods of training his students. I’m genuinely grateful for the teachers who taught me. I’m training under D.Enkhbold for six years now. He often lets athletes do strength training and focus on technique. He says, “You guys wrestle with your own mind on the mat. I trained you more than enough. So, whether you win or lose will completely depend on your effort. Use your full potential to defeat each opponent.” He teaches differently based on the students’ style. He often researches our opponents in advance. He personally gives advice to every athlete. He would often say, “If you are matched against him, you should do this,” as he tells us possible move variations. There are plenty of times we managed to win using his advice. On the other hand, teacher Y.Battogtokh’s training method is based on versatility and flexibility. He doesn’t show his love towards students but he loves us very much. He might look fierce but, in fact, he is very soft. He says, “The word judo means ‘gentle’. You have to be gentle to win.”

Why don’t you do folk wrestling, yet you do kurash?

After I accomplish in judo and sambo, I’m planning to challenge myself in folk wrestling. Kurash wrestling is very similar in many ways to Mongolian folk wrestling. In 2018, I was interested in Kurash and took part in the National Championship. I defeated Merited Athlete Ch.Boldbaatar and won a silver medal. I compete in judo’s 66 kg and sambo’s 62 kg. It’s harder to lose weight than gaining for athletes. The first round of tournaments after losing weight feels uncomfortable for me. But after passing the first round, I get used to my weight and am able to wrestle at full potential.

Besides your teacher, who from the national team gives you advice?

Those closest to us tell us the truest advice about our flaws. I take advice about succeeding in sambo from Merited Athlete Ts.Battsetseg. She once said after watching me train, “You’ve been doing strength training too much, bulked up and became clumsy. You have to be more flexible now.”

I heard you love reading.

Resting is very important for athletes. I love reading in my spare time. Sometimes I play basketball with my friends. I recently finished “Solitude of Half-Hundred Years – My Success” and “Mongol Bukhiin Barildaany Ov Mekhiin Chuulgan Sudar”, which tell the life and sport stories of Darkhan Avarga Kh.Bayanmunkh.