Inside Naadam: Mongolian Wrestlers Prepare for the 'Three Manly Games'
As much of the world focuses on the FIFA World Cup, Mongolia's top wrestlers have their sights set on a much older tradition. Ahead of the annual Naadam festival, more than 1,000 wrestlers gather at a training camp on the Mongolian steppe to prepare for the country's "Three Manly Games" — wrestling, horse racing and archery. Days begin before dawn with grueling training, but the athletes also find time for soccer and basketball to build endurance and team spirit. Four-time national wrestling champion Batsuuri "Basu" Namsraijav says Naadam is about more than competition — it's about preserving Mongolia's identity and passing centuries-old traditions to the next generation.
