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This country and the capital Ulaanbaatar were jumping for joy Thursday night with Mongolia’s first EVER Olympic gold medal. Tuvshinbayar N., now a national hero, took the men’s 100kg judo title and the partying began with impromptu revelry and fireworks. Thousands whooped it up on UB’s Sukhbaatar Square. It would be too strong to say that the people consider it a mark of their “arrival,” but their world standing is progressing. They have a silver medal also, earned by the pistol-packing Gundegmaa O, who came within millimeters of winning gold, herself. And I dare say that the Mongolian boxing team is right there alongside America’s for quality depth.
It’s an interesting contrast between Mongolia and home regarding Olympic success. On the one hand, we have this small nation trying to find its way in the world positively ecstatic with a single gold medal. Then, there’s America’s Michael Phelps who could win eight of them by himself. To me, it’s another lesson in trying to take nothing for granted and appreciate the simplest gifts.
We have been able to see vastly more Olympic coverage than of any previous games. The competitions have been available, virtually wall-to-wall, on five stations: three Mongolian, a Chinese and a Russian sports channel. Though I’m an obvious USA and Mongolia fan, it is a great experience to watch the Beijing games on Chinese television – despite not knowing the language. The excitement the people are feeling being hosts, and brilliantly successful ones by athletic standards, is so clear in all the cheers and smiles…..government behavior and scandal aside.
Meanwhile, it’s nice to now feel strongly about two nation’s success at the games.
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