Summer after summer in Mongolia, the air is alive with anticipation. The Naadam Festival, more than a festival, is a declaration of the country — a declaration of heritage, resilience, and competition. Its pièce de résistance: the “Three Manly Games” of wrestling, archery, and horse racing.
But underlying elegant bows, swirling hooves, and thundering throws, there is a world that few tourists see — the harsh, time-tested practice that transforms ordinary athletes into Naadam heroes. On remote steppes and mountain valleys, real champions are in relentless pursuit of perfection, compelled by both tradition and modern athletic rigour.
Wrestling: The Soul of Naadam Strength
Wrestling is always considered the crown jewel of Naadam — unrefined, sacred, and symbolic. Each motion recalls centuries of warrior indoctrination in Mongolia. It takes more than brawn to be a true wrestling champion; it takes discipline, accuracy, and integrity.
Interestingly enough, the introduction of online sports betting sites like Melbet put Mongolian wrestling in the spotlight in a new way. With sports being offered through websites for online betting, traditional arts are getting noticed by worldwide viewers who do not know Naadam. Yet, the majority of wrestlers continue to prepare in isolation from the hubbub, led by trainers who value reputation over recognition.
Traditional training involves power conditioning and classical drills. Wrestlers rise early morning to climb hills with sandbags and then perform movement ceremonies known as zasal. Pure diets of meat and milk prime them for grappling and leg throws for hours on end. Technique is refined in the company of retired champions who expect each mistake before it’s made.
Archery: An Eyeball-to-Eyeball Battle of Calm and Control
Archery at Naadam appears peaceful — elegant even — but preparation behind every archer is rigorous. Archers train early, sometimes before they are ten. Different from Olympic archery, Mongolian archery involves shooting far leather rings while standing in the open air, normally under difficult weather conditions.
Archers condition the breath and the body. They hold heavy traditional bows for long periods, conditioning arms to sustain and hands to get stronger. Breath control is necessary. The shot is synchronized with the heartbeat — too fast, the shot goes astray; too slow, tension destroys accuracy.
Archers, for the most part, do not simply train to shoot at targets. They study wind drift, improve their eyesight, and meditate to relax the mind. Instructors imbue muscle memory through repetition — hundreds of arrows fired daily. Under such training regimens, patience is as important as physical strength.
Horse Racing: Horse and Rider Endurance
Of all Naadam events, horse racing requires the most cooperation between a young rider and a highly trained horse. Horses run up to 30 kilometers on open steppe, so endurance and training are absolutely essential.
Racing horses train months prior to Naadam. Trainers might begin with gentle walking, then gradually add speed and distance. Horses are spoiled — fed special herbs, rubbed down, and guarded all the time.
Jockeys, typically also 5 to 13 years old, learn bareback riding. Besides racing, they learn to form an emotional bond with their horse. They are taught how to ride in terrain, shift weight during running, and respond without reins.
To understand the needs of Naadam training better, here’s a comparison breakdown of the three events:
| Event | Key Training Focus | Training Methods | Athlete Traits Needed |
| Wrestling | Power & Technique | Hill sprints, grappling drills | Strength, precision, discipline |
| Archery | Precision & Calm | Bow holding, breathing training | Hand-eye dominance, concentration, perseverance |
| Horse Racing | Endurance & Balance | Distance rides, bonding exercises | Agility, awareness, confidence |
Every sport requires its own training philosophy, but each of them shares one common truth: excellence is achieved well before competition day.
Sacred Rituals and the Role of Mentors
Though Naadam is a competition of athleticism, it is also a test of spirit. Behind each champion lies a queue of guides — retired athletes, spiritual leaders, or village herders — who instill the values that come with technique.
Ritual underlies training. Wrestlers perform ritualistic stretches before each bout. Archers recite timeless verse between shots. Horse riders whisper blessings onto horses before early morning training rides. These are not ingrained habits; they’re cultural signifiers reminding competitors what they stand for.
Most of the champions credit as much to mentors as to coaches. Naadam is rooted in tradition passed down through generations. Even while developing sports science, traditions inherited from ancestors are untouched, a blend that gives Mongolian athletes their peculiar supremacy.
Why These Champions Keep Inspiring
To the rest of the world, Naadam may just be another cultural bash. But to Mongolians, it’s proof that ageless values live on in these times. Naadam athletes are not merely rivals — they are guardians of tradition, personifications of inner strength, and reminders that there is power in simplicity.
Let’s see why these champions are ageless:
- Duty to Culture: Competing is not for personal glory, but national glory and family pride.
- Year-Round Commitment: Training is a continuous process. The majority of athletes have strict routines throughout the year.
- Balance of Body and Mind: Every sport requires as much mental commitment as physical ability.
- Respect for Tradition: From diet, to training, to clothing, every step is a respect for heritage.
These qualities go beyond trophies — they become life mantras for those who seek greatness in the Naadam arena.
Strength Woven Into the Wind
Every gallop, every snap of the bowstring, every throw of the dust says something — something older than any stadium. Naadam champions are not just muscle; they are sculpted by wind, steppe, silence, and tradition. They are not boisterous-strong — they’re steady-strong, trained-strong, and achieved over decades of discipline.
As expansive as the Mongolian plains reach, there will be little boys and girls sprinting to their next session in wrestling, archery, or horseback riding — not chasing medals, but meaning.
