Nineteen-year-old Mongolian weightlifter M.Ankhtsetseg claimed three gold medals at the 2016 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships, which took place in Tokyo, Japan, from November 8 to 15. M.Ankhtsetseg competed in the women’s 69 kg class, and performed a 105 kg snatch and 130 kg clean and jerk. She lifted 235 kg overall. M.Ankhtsetseg secured three gold medals for the snatch, clean and jerk, and her overall score to become the Asian champion. International Sports Master M.Ankhtsetseg participated in the Asian Championships without her coach Ts.Khosbayar due to financial problems. It costs almost four million MNT to participate in international tournaments. After the Asian Championships, M.Ankhatsetseg will head for the FISU World University Weightlifting Championships, set to take place in Merida, Mexico. Governor’s Office of Selenge Province, State Champion (the highest possible national wrestling title) G.Erkhembayar and the Director of Nomgoljin Company sponsored M.Ankhtsetseg at the Asian and FISU University Championships.

The USA, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan offer citizenship to M.Ankhtsetseg

M.Ankhtsetseg’s coach Ts.Khosbayar said, “The USA, South Korea, Kazakhtsan and Uzbekistan offered citizenship and asked Ankhtsetseg to compete in international tournaments on behalf of their countries. South Korea offered the highest bid. South Korea promised to pay 12,000 USD every month and 500,000 KRW as a contract payment.” Ts.Khosbayar and M.Ankhtsetseg turned down the offers saying, “We belong to Mongolia.” Social media users have started a campaign to raise funds for M.Ankhtsetseg and her coach Ts.Khosbayar to continue training and competition.