The Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games have officially begun. Held in Italy from March 6–15, the Games feature two Mongolian athletes competing in Para Cross-Country Skiing: Batmunkh Ganbold and Tsegmed Dashdorj, members of Mongolia’s National Team and athletes sponsored by Suu JSC.
For both athletes, this Paralympic Games is far more than just another competition—it represents years of preparation, perseverance, and overcoming personal challenges.
“If Others Can Do It, So Can I”
National team athlete Tsegmed Dashdorj began cross-country skiing in 2015 while attending school in Bat-Ulzii soum, Uvurkhangai Province. Since then, he has trained tirelessly and further developed his skills through programs in PyeongChang, South Korea, dedicating the past eight years to the sport.
For Dashdorj, the journey to qualify for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games was among the greatest challenges of his career. After joining the national team in 2020, he focused on earning a Paralympic berth, competing in numerous events before finally securing qualification.
“The final qualifying event was a World Cup race in Sweden. I finished fifth in the 20-kilometer race, and the next day I learned that I had qualified for the Beijing Paralympics. That was the moment when all my hard work paid off.”
Success requires more than talent. Dashdorj explains that elite athletes train up to three times a day, carefully monitoring even their heart rate.
“You don’t simply make it to the Olympics by chance. Reaching that level takes constant effort and discipline.”
Growing up, he faced ridicule because of a congenital condition affecting his hand. During childhood, he often lacked confidence and tried to hide his hand by wearing long sleeves. However, competing internationally and meeting athletes who had overcome even greater obstacles helped him develop a stronger sense of self-belief.
“The word para means ‘alongside.’ I train with the mindset that if others can do something, then I can do it too.”
“My Peak Moment”
One of Mongolia’s leading cross-country skiers, Batmunkh Ganbold, was introduced to the sport in 2011 while studying at a college in Govisumber Province. Through the local association for persons with disabilities, he met a national team coach and was invited to try cross-country skiing.
Before that, Ganbold had been a horse racing jockey. After losing an arm in an accident, he discovered a new path through skiing.
“I’ve always loved extreme activities. Cross-country skiing can involve descending at speeds of 50 to 60 kilometers per hour and making sharp turns. It’s an adventurous sport, and that’s what attracted me to it.”
After joining the national team in 2012, he quickly found success, winning a silver medal at a classification competition in the United States. His passion for the sport grew even stronger, and in 2013 he finished 18th at the World Championships in Sweden, earning qualification for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games, his first Paralympic appearance.
For Ganbold, Milan–Cortina 2026 marks his fourth Paralympic Games. While his previous three Paralympics were all held in Asia, this edition is particularly special because it takes place in Europe.
“Simply participating in the Paralympics is a tremendous achievement. Walking under the Mongolian flag among more than 200 nations is the greatest pride an athlete can experience.”
Like any elite athlete, Ganbold’s journey has included injuries and difficult training conditions. Despite suffering ligament damage in his knee, he continued training. Enduring morning workouts in temperatures as low as –30°C during winter was never easy, but his passion for the sport kept him moving forward.
“I have dedicated 14 years of my life to reaching the Olympics. Now all that remains is to see where those years of hard work will lead.”
The Paralympic Games are more than a sporting competition. They are a global stage that demonstrates how human determination knows no limits and how resilience can overcome any obstacle.
For Batmunkh Ganbold and Tsegmed Dashdorj, the road to this stage was anything but easy. Behind their achievements lie years of hard work, endurance, patience, and perseverance, as well as countless personal challenges they have overcome along the way.
That is why every step they take represents more than a pursuit of medals—it symbolizes victory for hope, belief, and dreams.
Their journey serves as a powerful reminder that opportunities are limitless for those willing to pursue them.
