“At first, we also didn’t have money, so we rode a car and went to the competition by boat. If you don’t have that much money in Korea 3×3, I think you need to make an effort to do something.”
The ‘2023 Korea X Mongolia 3×3 International Exchange’, which was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from the 20th to the 23rd, was successfully completed. Six Korean 3×3 players, including Kwak Hee-hun, Kim Min-seop, Noh Seung-jun, Park Min-soo, Ha Do-hyeon, and Han Jeong-cheol, struggled to learn at least one of Mongolia’s 3×3 systems, despite the severe cold of minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius.
This training camp in Mongolia is a project promoted since last year by KXO (Korea 3×3 Basketball Federation), concerned about the future of Korean 3×3, a ‘frog in the well’. After continuously sending love calls to Mongolia, which is ranked 5th in the FIBA 3×3 national rankings, this trip to Mongolia was decided.
Tulga Sukbaatar, coach of the Mongolian men’s 3×3 national team, who directly guided Korean players for 3 nights and 4 days, passionately coached Korean players as if he were treating Mongolian players. Director Tulga Sukbaatar said that he was very impressed that they came to learn 3×3 in Korea.
Coach Tulga Sukhbaatar, who helped the Korean players by explaining the training methods and patterns used by the Mongolian 3×3 national team in detail during the training period, was evident at a glance that he was a ‘leader who clearly understands 3×3’.
Coach Tulga Sukhbaatar, who not only trains the players but also participates in the FIBA 3×3 international competition and communicates with other countries, also had a wealth of information.
After building friendships with KXO officials, “This year is the year to decide to advance to the 2024 Paris Olympics. So, China, which has been quiet due to Corona 19, has decided to attract about 15 FIBA 3×3 challengers this year alone, and Mongolia has also decided to attract 4 challengers this year. We have attracted the FIBA 3×3 Challenger, and the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series 2023 Final will also be held in Mongolia. You have to raise your points in this way to go to the Paris Olympics,” he hinted.
Subsequently, when asked, “What is Korea’s plan to participate in international competitions this year?”, Tulga gave an empty answer to coach Sukhbaatar, “I don’t know about Korea yet. Korea doesn’t have a lot of money invested in 3×3 like China or Mongolia.”
Hearing this story, coach Tulga Sukbaatar said, “That shouldn’t be the case. When I first started 3×3, I didn’t have money, so when I went to Asian competitions such as China or the Philippines, I went to another country by car or boat with the players. It was difficult, but I had to do that to get attention. Korea is a country with a better life than Mongolia, but I can’t understand it.” 헤라카지노도메인
In fact, coach Tulga Sukhbaatar’s efforts attracted the attention of the Mongolian government and led to the sponsorship of a state-run energy company, and now the Mongolian president, prime minister, and heads of state-owned companies are said to have become passionate supporters of the Mongolian 3×3 national team.
An official from the Mongolian 3×3 Basketball Association said, “The players of the Ulaanbaatar Pro 3×3 Team, the Mongolian men’s 3×3 national team, which is currently ranked 5th in the world, were directly trained by coach Tulga Sukhbaatar from the age of 10 and 11. Even then, 3×3 was not popular in Mongolia. But now, it has become the most popular sport in Mongolia. As a result, large corporations in Mongolia such as MMC Energy (Mongolia’s state-run energy company), Coca-Cola, and Unitel continue to sponsor it.”
Coach Tulga Sukhbaatar, who was active as a 5-to-5 player in Mongolia and fell in love with 3×3, put Mongolia 3×3 on a world-class level after hard work. They responded by putting it on display in the headquarters lobby.
Coach Tulga Sukbaatar said, “In two weeks, I will be invited by Malaysia to coach the Malaysian 3×3 national team. Efforts to advance to the Paris Olympics qualifiers and finals have already begun around the world.” It is surprising that the plan to advance to the preliminaries and finals is not clear. If Korea is at a standstill as it is now, it is a good thing for Mongolia (laughs),” he said with a bony joke toward the stalled Korean 3×3.
“This sport inevitably requires investment. 3×3 is getting a lot of attention around the world, but I don’t know why Korea is indifferent. Mongolia, China, Japan, the Philippines, and Malaysia are all exchanging. Korea is also investing in 3×3 quickly. I hope the day will come when Asia 3×3 surpasses Europe.”