Wyoming Seminary hosts Mongolia in friendly dual
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by Wyoming Seminary
The Wyoming Seminary wrestling team hosted Mongolia for a friendly dual held Sunday, at the Carpenter Athletic Center. Ten freestyle bouts were contested – eight girls matches and two boys matches, which included World, Pan-American and Asian Games medalists.
Canadian National Team member, North Carolina TarHeel commit, and Wyoming Seminary senior Lachlan McNeil made for three counties represented at the event.
The marquee match-up of the day pitted 2019 U15 World Champion Korina Blades against 2018 Junior World bronze medalist Enkhtsetseg Batbaatar. Blades battled back from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-2 with a takedown and a pair of push outs in the second period.
Former USA National Team coach Erin Vandiver and Wyoming Sem assistant coach CC Weber coached the Wyoming Seminary team.
The Mongolian team was coached by National Team coaches Chuluunbaatar Palam and Munkhduuldakh Sovd, who have coached many World and Asian Games medalists.
Fans were treated to a display of traditional Mongolian wrestling, Bokh, with wrestlers and officials wearing traditional Mongolian garb. Wrestling is the national sport of Mongolia, and the most important of the Mongolian culture's three skills, that also include horsemanship, and archery.
Mongolian wrestling dates back to 7000BC, with cave drawings depicting wrestling matches from the Neolithic age. In the time of Genghis Khan, wrestling was used to train the army. Legend has it, to avoid large amounts of bloodshed, the best wrestlers from opposing armies would sometimes square off to decide battles, with Genghis Khan sending forth his brother to wrestle.
The Mongolian team will stay for a week of training at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, PA. Following the training camp, some of the athletes will travel to New York City to compete at the Bill Farrell International next weekend.
Match results
53kg: Abby Duke (USA/SEM) win Uugantsetseg Otgonbaatar (MGL), tech fall 10-0
59kg: Khongorzul Boldsaikhan (MGL) win Elleni Johnson (USA/SEM), tech fall 10-0
62kg: Veronica Whitacre (USA/SEM) win Nyamsuren Batsaihan (MGL), 8-6
65kg: MFS: Lachlan McNeil (CAN/SEM) win Uuganbayar Byambasuren (MGL), fall
53kg: Ava Bayless (USA/SEM) win Uugantsetseg Otgonbaatar (MGL), fall
55kg: Sophie Smith (USA/SEM) win Shuren-erdene Dolgorsuren (MGL), fall
57kg: Korina Blades (USA/SEM) win Enkhtsetseg Batbaatar (MGL), 4-2
65kg: Khongorzul Boldsaikhan (MGL) win Reese Larramendy (USA/SEM), tech fall 12-2
68kg MFS: Connor Kievman (USA/SEM) win Uuganbayar Byambasuren (MGL), tech fall 12-1
53kg: Madison Wellen (USA/SEM) win Uugantsetseg Otgonbaatar (MGL), fall
