Darts players claim historic success at international tour

A Mongolian team of 12 darts players returned to Ulaanbaatar on Friday after winning six medals at the 11th Asian Darts Association (ADA) International Tour 2015 in Hong Kong.
It was a historical achievement in Mongolian darts and the team held a press conference immediately after their return to announce and celebrate their four gold and two bronze medals.
Around 1,100 darts players from 17 countries vied for medals in singles, doubles and teams challenges at the ADA International Tour.
Mongolia’s Kh.Odkhuu won the Division 2’s Singles Standard Cricket, M.Enkhmunkh won Division 4’s Singles Cricket Count Up, G.Bat-Ulzii and M.Enkhmunkh won Division 4’s Doubles in the men’s events, while B.Binderya won gold in the women’s Division 2 Singles event.
Kh.Odkhuu and Sh.Gan-Erdene won bronze in the men’s team events in Division 2, and G.Battulga and A.Ikhbandi won bronze in Division 5. In the team event, Mongolia ranked fifth out of the 17 countries.
“The ADA International Tour is a highly-reputable annual competition and we have showed an unprecedented success this year. In previous tours, Mongolians brought home three medals at most. This time, all of the 12 players either claimed medals or ranked in the top five of their respective divisions,” said L.Shinetsetseg, Secretary General of the Mongolian Standard Darts Association (MSDA) and member of the Mongolian darts team.
Mongolian darts sport development has a 22 years of history. The last five years have brought ample success for Mongolians in both domestic and international darts competitions, as highlighted by the team members.
“We have become one of the most competent teams in Asia, which was visible from the tour we have just finished. Other teams have been inquiring about our coach and how we train for competitions and it shows that we are drawing attention more than ever now,” added L.Shinetsetseg.
Three official darts associations are operating in Mongolia, with over 500 members in total. Apart from official members, there are 5,000 amateur darts players in the country, according to the MSDA.
“Companies have started holding small-range darts competitions regularly among their staff on weekends. We are sure that darts will develop even further and many professional darts players will be trained to stand on the winner’s podiums,” said a MSDA spokesperson.
Darts is becoming a popular sport in rural provinces as well, including Orkhon, Darkhan-Uul, Sukhbaatar and Umnugovi, although they haven’t formed or joined darts associations, according to MSDA.

D.Budjargal to take part in Self-Transcendence Six and Ten-Day Race

Mongolian runner and mountaineer D.Budjargal will participate in the annual Self-Transcendence Six and Ten-Day Races, which will take place from April 19 to 29 in Queens, New York.
D.Budjargal has been training in running for 19 years and is the top Mongolian athlete in extreme marathons. He won State 24-hour Run Championships 2011, 2012 and 2013.
D.Budjargal placed fifth in the Self-Transcendence Six-Day Race 2014.
He trained in South Korea for a month and in the U.S. for three months to prepare for the Self-Transcendence Ten-Day Race.
“I am ready to promote Mongolians’ endurance to the world. This year’s race will continue for ten days and ten nights. I will cross 1,400 to 1,500 km and win,” said D.Budjargal.
The Self-Transcendence Six and Ten-Day Races feature an international field of runners who come to test their endurance, skill with pacing, and ability to recover from the stress of constantly moving. The competitors run with minimal sleep, all the while trying to accumulate as many miles as possible.

Winners of State Volleyball Championships announced

The State Junior Volleyball Championships concluded on April 11, with the boys’ team from Umnugovi Province and the girls’ team from Bayankhongor Province winning the championships.

The event, organized by the Mongolian Volleyball Federation in Buyant-Ukhaa Sports Center, involved 16 of the top teams from the eastern, western, central, and Khangai regions of Mongolia.

As previously reported, the best eight teams will get a chance to participate in the Fifth Children’s Sports Festival.

The best boys’ team that won the right to the festival are Dornod, Dundgovi, Umnugovi, Selenge, Khentii, Sukhbaatar and Khovd Provinces, and Hasu Megastars team. The girls’ teams that qualified are from Govisumber, Dundgovi, Khentii, Khuvsgul, Selenge and Bayankhongor provinces, as well as teams from School No.21 of Bayanzurkh District and Khilchin Sports Committee.

Final results of the championships: 

Boys:

Gold: Umnugovi Province

Silver: Selenge Province

Bronze: Hasu Megastars

Fourth place: Dundgovi Province 

Girls:

Gold: Bayankhongor Province

Silver: Selenge Province

Bronze: School 21 of Bayanzurkh District

Fourth place: Khilchin Sports Committee

Most valuable players:

Setter: boys: G.Usukhbayar (Selenge), girls: D.Narantungalag (Bayankhongor)

Server: B.Bayarsaikhan (Hasu Megastars), E.Badamtsetseg (Selenge)

Spiker: B.Khongor (Selenge), B.Tsolmon (School No.21)

Blocker: I.Batbayar (Selenge), B.Uranbileg (Bayankhongor)

Libero: T.Dorjnamjaa (Umnugovi), S.Bulgantamir (Bayankhongor)

Coach: Kh.Rentsendorj (Umnugovi), M.Munkhtulga (Bayankhongor)

Ariunaa Suri to participate in Assembly 2015 – The Design Festival in Graz

Mongolian famous fashion designer Ariunaa Suri and her team announced that they will participate in the Assembly 2015 – The Design Festival in Graz, which will take place at Schlossbergbuehne Palace in Graz, Austria from May 28 to 31.
Over 60 designers from 14 countries, such as Italy, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Hungary, Austria, Germany and Mongolia, will promote their designs at the event. Ariunaa Suri will features her new 2016 collection at the fashion event.
Nine designers have been shortlisted to compete for the highest award of Assembly 2015 – The Design Festival in Graz, Kastner and Oehler.
The winner of the Kastner and Oehler fashion award will be announced on May 28.
Organizers of the Assembly 2015 – The Design Festival in Graz described Ariuna Suri’s designs as, “Mystery of In-Between – A mysterious existence between Eastern and Western, where the culture, lifestyle and history of art are totally different, and the scholar who assimilates these special features in the creations – this is Ariunaa Suri brand. It is for everyone, who has the ability to feel and express the brand with their own tastes and personalities. The inspiration of the designs are usually rooted from the unique pattern, motifs and elements of extraordinary Mongolian traditional costumes and all these features are imbibed into Ariunaa Suri’s designs. Every single piece of work by the Ariunaa Suri brand is timeless and classical, which is made of luxury, high quality materials from Mongolian wild nature such as cashmere, leather, hand crafted accessories.”
The Assembly 2015 – The Design Festival in Graz is the most exciting part of Design Month Graz 2015, annual international design event. Design Month Graz 2015 is taking place from April 30 to May 31. Some 22 nations are taking part in 52 design related activities of the event.

‘The Epic of the Great Queens of Mongolia’ dance play to be staged on May 2

“The Epic of the Great Queens of Mongolia” will be performed again on May 12, at the request of audiences.
More than 6,000 people have watched “The Epic of the Great Queens of Mongolia” dance play.
The Mongolian National Song And Dance Academic Ensemble of Mongolia first performed the play, which tells the saga of the nine queens of Mongol Empire, on December 2013.
The play was also performed on February 2014.
The ensemble performed the play for the third time on January 29 and 30, 2015.
“The Epic of Great Queens on Mongolia” dance play is about nine great queens of Mongolia; Gua Maral, Mother Alungoo, Mother Oulen, Queens Burte, Durgunu, Sorghaghtani, Chimbai, Samar, and Mandukhai the wise, whom all immortalized the great history of Mongolia through their courageous acts and feats.
“’The Epic of the Great Queens of Mongolia’ was greatly applauded by audiences in its first, second and third staging. The Mongolian National Song And Dance Academic Ensemble has decided to stage the dance play again,” said a spokesperson of the ensemble.
The dance play is unique in expressing the history of the legendary queens of the Mongol Empire, who are remembered in history for their great merits in the fight for independence, through the language of dance. The play is considered to be a national masterpiece by critics and enthusiasts. The libretto of the play was written by vice president of the Mongolian National Song and Dance Academic Ensemble N.Bold and is directed by D.Bayarbaatar. The musical composition was written by M.Birvaa and composed by State Honored Composer B.Munkhbold.

The cast of “The Epic of Great Queens on Mongolia”:

• Gua Maral- Cultural Merit Dancer N.Byambasuren
• Mother Alungoo- Cultural Merit Dancer G.Uyanga
• Mother Oulen- Cultural Merit Dancer T.Ariunjargal
• Queen Burte- Cultural Merit Dancer S.Otgontsetseg
• Queen Durgunu- Cultural Merit Dancer E.Nomin
• Queen Sorghaghtani- Cultural Merit Dancer M.Byambaa
• Queen Chimbai- N.Ganchimeg
• Queen Samar- State Honored Artist Sh.Odontuya
• Queen Mandukhai the wise- Cultural Merit Dancer L.Enkhbolor

Ulaanbaatar Days take place in Seoul

For the 20th anniversary of city-to-city friendship between Ulaanbaatar and Seoul, Ulaanbaatar Days took place in Seoul, South Korea, from May 1 to 3.
Ulaanbaatar Mayor E.Bat-Uul and other officials, including Deputy Head of the Roads, Transportation and Infrastructure Department of the Office of the Ulaanbaatar Governor N.Gantumur, Chairman of the Office of the Ulaanbaatar Governor Yo.Gerelchuluun, and the General Manager of Ulaanbaatar B.Badral, paid a visit to Seoul and met Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon. They signed a memorandum of cooperation and negotiated to strengthen the two countries’ relations.
Mayor E.Bat-Uul and Park Won-soon also signed a memorandum to develop the e-governance, tourism, and environment of both cities.
Mayor Park said, “Mongolia and South Korea have been cooperating in economy, the environment, and art. I am giving great importance to this visit. I heard the Ulaanbaatar Mayor E.Bat-Uul is working on the rehabilitation of ger districts in Ulaanbaatar, and development of the tourism sector. I hope the memorandum we signed will help his activity. Finally, I think Ulaanbaatar is our friend and brother city.”
Mayor E.Bat-Uul responded, “Mongolia is happy for your support. I want to underline that Seoul is an important city for Ulaanbaatar. Ulaanbaatar has learned a lot from Seoul. I think Seoul is leading other developing cities. We have to learn about stable development, information technology, and the tourism sector in Mongolia. We are planning to establish the Seoul Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar. Preparation has been provided. I want to thank Seoul.”
The Ulaanbaatar Days fair and Seoul Friendship Fair was held in Seoul’s city center and art performances were organized. State Honored Artist choreographer S.Sukhbaatar directed the performance and State Honored Artists N.Amgalan, J.Altantsetseg, U.Uyanga, G.Ariunbaatar, singer S.Naran, Niciton, composer B.Chinbat, the State Philharmonic Orchestra, the State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, and Mongolian folk groups Domog and Arga Bileg participated in the performance.

Khusugtun makes TOp 9 of Asia’s Got Talent

Mongolian folk group Khusugtun has qualified for the final stage of Asia’s Got Talent show on April 30. The show started on March 12 in Singapore to select the top performers in Asia.
Khusugtun performed a traditional Mongolian musical piece, initially starting with bird chirps and a few instruments.
Khusugtun was formed in 2009 with six members. They met each other while studying at the Music and Dance College.
Khusugtun said, “It has always been our dream to spread the Mongolian culture and music to the world. Asia’s Got Talent is a great opportunity for us to do so. If we win, we would love to travel the world to perform.”
The online poll for the top nine finalists was organized from April 23 to 27, and results of the poll was announced on April 30.
The final round of the Asia’s Got Talent will take place at The Marina Bay Sands on May 7.
The final show will be aired on AXN Asia television channel in the evening of May 7. Top participant will be announced on May 14.
Asia’s Got Talent is the regional version of the Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for a prize of 100,000 USD and an opportunity to perform at the Marina Bay Sands.