AP PHOTOS: A 12-year-old in Mongolia finds joy in boxing and now dreams of the Olympics
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Twelve-year-old Gerelt-Od Kherlen could not contain his excitement after winning the bronze medal in the children’s national boxing championship in Mongolia.
In September, his father heard about the opening of the Mongolian Boxing Academy close to their home in Dambadarjaa, a tent-dotted district on the outskirts of the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The boy had been restless. Now his parents are relieved.
“We are happy that our son has found his passion and hobby,” said his mother, Narantsetseg Narantsogt. He had been playing chess at school but the program was discontinued, she said. When they heard about the new boxing club, “we decided to send him, because it will keep him away from playing on smartphone and watching too much TV at home.”
Mongolia is the land of legendary conqueror Genghis Khan, and contact sports are part of a warrior tradition. Mongolians have won Olympic medals in boxing and other individual sports such as wrestling and archery.
Gerelt-Od was already strong. Growing up in a district without running water, he fetched water every day for his family. He also chopped firewood, which he says helped him develop patience and resilience.
The boxing academy taught him and dozens of other children how to punch and avoid being hit. Gerelt-Od trained for more than two hours every day before going to school.
Less than a year later, he was among more than 400 boxers between the ages of 10 and 14 in the national championship. His third-place finish surprised his family.
He now wears a T-shirt with pictures of famous Mongolian boxers and dreams of becoming an Olympic champion.
His father, Kherlen Nasantogtokh, said the family wanted to give credit to academy trainers who have chosen to work with children in a modest district that, like its families, are still in transition.