3x3 basketball players of 34 countries competing at the main square of Ulaanbaatar

Sports
munkhzul@montsame.gov.mn
2019-06-04 14:49:39

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. The FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup kicked off at the Sukhbaatar Square yesterday on June 3. Recognized as an Olympic sport, it is the first time for the 3x3 Basketball World Cup to be organized in Mongolia.

The tournament is being organized under the auspices of Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh in the capital city.


PM U.Khurelsukh participated in the opening ceremony of the 3x3 U18 World Cup and gave a speech, “I express my gratitude to the International Basketball Association (FIBA) for giving the right to organize the World Cup in Mongolia as well as the Mongolian 3x3 Basketball Association for receiving the tournament in our country. The FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup is being broadcast live to over 160 countries in the world. I wish good luck to the teams of 34 countries that are participating.”


A total of 40 teams--20 men’s and 20 women’s teams of 34 countries are competing in the U18 World Cup. The tournament winners will be determined on June 7.


The men’s national team has been put into Group C with the teams of U.S., Latvia, Georgia and Belarus, while the women’s team is in a group with the teams of France, Netherlands, the Philippines and the Czech Republic.


While the 3x3 basketball began to be a part of the FIBA events and tournaments since 2011, it was recognized as an Olympic sport in 2017, with qualification tournaments for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games taking place since 2019.


Representatives led by FIBA 3x3 Managing Director Alex Sanchez and FIBA 3x3 Development Manager Robert Rieblenger, President of the Mongolian 3x3 Basketball Association L.Myagmarjav as well as representatives of the tournament sponsors, MCS Group and MCS Coca Cola Co. Ltd. attended the opening ceremony.