Invited by the Inner Mongolia Goodwill Exchange Association in Niigata, Inner Mongolia Sports Bureau dispatched a squad to attend the Third Mongolian Wrestling Contest in Niigata, Japan from June 9 to 13.

The contest, founded in 2014, attracted 32 wrestlers from Inner Mongolia, Tokyo, and Niigata. It’s the first time that the event organizers invited wrestlers from China’s Inner Mongolia to take part, with the aim of promoting the friendship between Niigata and Inner Mongolia.

Eventually, two of the region’s wrestlers took the top two titles. Sun Dagang, consul general of China’s Consulate in Niigata, watched the contest and gave awards to the winners.

Akira Shinoda, mayor of Niigata, and Nobuo Fukataki, deputy director of Inner Mongolia Goodwill Exchange Association in Niigata, also watched the contest.

Local Niigata TV Station conducted a live broadcast of the contest, and Nippon Hoso Kyokai and Niigata Daily reported on the event.

During the visit, representatives from Inner Mongolian and Niigata both conveyed their desires to cooperate and communicate in sectors of sports, culture, and trade in the future. 

Nobuo Fukataki (left), deputy director of Inner Mongolia Goodwill Exchange Association in Niigata, and Sun Dagang (middle), consul general of China’s Consulate in Niigata, give an award to Qingzhao Rigetu, first prize winner of the Third Mongolian Wrestling Contest held in Niigata. [Photo/nmgsports.gov.cn]

Local Mongolian ethnic residents pose with wrestlers after the contest in Niigata, Japan. [Photo/nmgsports.gov.cn]

Qingzhao Rigetu (right) fights with a competitor during the semi-final of the Third Mongolian Wrestling Contest held in Niigata. [Photo/nmgsports.gov.cn]