From nowhere to stardom in Mongolian judo: Yolk Kazirbyek

From nowhere to stardom in Mongolian judo: Yolk Kazirbyek

Twelve years ago, in the vast, open plains near Darkhan, Mongolia, far from the bustling streets of Ulaanbaatar, a group of children trained on the grass, some in worn-out clothing, others in pieces of judogi. Surrounded by their nomadic homes, cattle, and endless sky, they practiced the ancient art of judo with passion but little access to the wider world. Among them was a boy named Yolk Kazirbyek, who would one day rise from these humble begin…