Ulaanbaatar
National Winter Sports Festival Promotes Mongolia’s Traditional Sports
Sports
Ulaanbaatar, January 19, 2026 /MONTSAME/. The schedule has been announced for the National Winter Sports Festival, which aims to promote Mongolia’s ancient traditional sports and pass down customs, traditions, and cultural heritage to younger generations.
The winter events of the Mongolian National Sports Festival - ice
knucklebone (shagai)
shooting and ice archery - will be held from January 22 to 25 at the ice rink in
Khandgait and the “Uukhain Duu” recreation resort at Tsonjin Boldog.
In the previous
festival held in 2022, a total of 426 athletes from 21 aimags and nine
districts competed, including 126 in ice knucklebone shooting and 300 in ice
archery. For this year’s competitions, around 600 athletes from 21 aimags and nine
districts have so far registered to participate.
Held
every four years, the Mongolian National Sports Festival was initiated in 1998
by Bayanmunkh Khorloo, former head of the National Physical Education and
Sports Center, Hero of Labor, Honored Athlete, and State Grand Champion of
national wrestling. This year’s event will be held for the eighth time.
The festival represents a comprehensive effort to pass down the traditions and etiquette of national sports to future generations and plays an important role in developing traditional sports on a scientific basis and supporting policy development.
