1. Early Life and Career Beginnings
Davaadorjiin Tömörkhüleg was born on September 29, 1990, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He began his journey in judo at the age of 12. Tömörkhüleg stands at 68 in (172 cm) tall and holds the rank of 2nd dan in judo.
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2. Athletic Career
Tömörkhüleg's athletic career spans both junior and senior levels, with significant achievements in both judo and sambo across different weight classes.
2.1. Junior Career
Tömörkhüleg achieved notable success early in his career, particularly at the World Judo Juniors Championships. In 2008, competing in the -60 kg category at the World Juniors Championships in Bangkok, he secured a silver medal after being defeated by Russia's Arsen Galstyan in the final. The following year, in 2009, he once again earned a silver medal in the -60 kg division at the World Juniors Championships in Paris, this time losing to Japan's Hirofumi Yamamoto by uchi-mata in the final match.
2.2. Senior Career (-60 kg)
In his early senior career, Davaadorjiin Tömörkhüleg primarily competed in the -60 kg weight class. He secured a silver medal at the 2011 Asian Championships in Abu Dhabi. His performances in the Grand Slam series included a bronze medal at the 2011 Moscow Grand Slam and a silver medal at the 2012 Moscow Grand Slam. Tömörkhüleg also won a gold medal at the 2011 Amsterdam Grand Prix and a bronze at the 2010 Düsseldorf Grand Prix. In 2011, at the 2011 World Judo Championships, he was defeated in his first match by Hirofumi Yamamoto.
Tömörkhüleg made his Olympic debut at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, where he competed in the Men's -60 kg event. He was defeated in the second round by Brazil's Felipe Kitadai, who went on to win a bronze medal in the event.
Other notable results in the -60 kg category include a bronze medal at the 2009 World Cup Ulaanbaatar, a gold medal at the 2009 World Cup Suwon, a 5th place at the 2010 Grand Slam Paris, and gold medals at the 2010 World Cup Vienna and the 2010 World Cup Ulaanbaatar. He also secured a silver medal at the 2010 World Cup Suwon, a bronze at the 2011 World Cup Ulaanbaatar, and a 5th place at the 2011 Grand Slam Tokyo. In 2012, he placed 5th at the 2012 Grand Prix Düsseldorf.
2.3. Senior Career (-66 kg) and Olympic Participation
Following the 2012 London Olympics, Tömörkhüleg transitioned to the -66 kg weight class, where he continued to achieve significant international success.
In 2013, he claimed a gold medal at the Asian Championships in Bangkok and won the Grand Slam in Baku. He also earned a silver medal at the Paris Grand Slam. At the 2013 World Judo Championships, he was defeated in his initial match by Ukraine's Georgii Zantaraia.
A major highlight in 2014 was his gold medal victory at the Asian Games in Incheon, where he defeated Japan's Tomofumi Takajo in the -66 kg final. In the same year, he placed 5th in the team event. He secured a bronze medal at the 2014 Grand Prix Düsseldorf and a silver at the 2014 Grand Prix Ulaanbaatar.
In 2015, Tömörkhüleg earned a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Kuwait. He also secured a bronze medal in the Men's team event at the World Championships in Astana, where he finished 5th individually. He continued his strong performance in the Grand Slam series, winning a gold medal at the Paris Grand Slam and a bronze at the Tokyo Grand Slam. Other Grand Prix medals in 2015 include gold medals in Tbilisi and Ulaanbaatar, and silver medals in Düsseldorf, Samsun, and Qingdao. He also secured a bronze medal at the World Masters in Rabat.
In 2016, he won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Tashkent and a silver medal in the team event. He earned a silver medal at the World Masters in Guadalajara and another silver at the Paris Grand Slam.
Tömörkhüleg participated in his second Olympic Games at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the men's half-lightweight (-66 kg) division. In Rio, he defeated Sulaiman Hamad and Houd Zourdani before losing to the eventual gold medalist Fabio Basile in the quarterfinals. As his opponent reached the final, Tömörkhüleg entered the repechage, where he was defeated by Antoine Bouchard, finishing in 7th place.
His later career in the -66 kg category included a silver medal at the 2017 Grand Prix Tbilisi, a bronze at the 2017 Grand Prix Antalya, and a 7th place at the 2017 Grand Slam Tokyo. In 2018, he placed 7th at the 2018 Grand Prix Tashkent. In 2019, he secured a bronze medal at the 2019 Grand Prix Zagreb.
2.4. Sambo Career
In addition to his judo career, Davaadorjiin Tömörkhüleg has also achieved significant success as a sambo practitioner. He notably won a gold medal at the World Sambo Championships in Narita, Japan, competing in the -68 kg weight class.
3. Major Achievements and Medal Records
The following table summarizes Davaadorjiin Tömörkhüleg's major achievements and medal record in both judo and sambo.
| Judo | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| World Juniors Championships | -60 kg | Silver | ||
| -60 kg | Silver | |||
| Asian Championships | -60 kg | Silver | ||
| -66 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| -60 kg | Bronze | |||
| Asian Games | -66 kg | Gold | ||
| World Championships | Men's team | Bronze | ||
| World Masters | -66 kg | Bronze | ||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| Grand Slam | -60 kg | Bronze | ||
| -60 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| IJF Grand Prix | -60 kg | Bronze | ||
| -60 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Gold | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Silver | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| -66 kg | Bronze | |||
| Sambo | |||
| World Sambo Championships | -68 kg | Gold | ||
4. Later Career and Related Matters
In 2018, there were reports that Davaadorjiin Tömörkhüleg had changed his nationality to the UAE. However, despite these reports, he competed representing Mongolia at the Grand Prix Tashkent in November 2018, where he finished in 7th place, marking his return to international competition after approximately a year.
5. Assessment and Impact
Davaadorjiin Tömörkhüleg stands as a highly accomplished Mongolian athlete in both judo and sambo. His career is marked by remarkable consistency and versatility, transitioning successfully between weight classes and excelling in two distinct martial arts disciplines. His two silver medals at the World Judo Juniors Championships early in his career foreshadowed his future success. As a senior, he captured multiple gold medals at prestigious judo events, including the Asian Championships, Asian Games, and Grand Slams, demonstrating his consistent high-level performance on the international stage. Furthermore, his achievement of a gold medal at the World Sambo Championships highlights his exceptional talent and adaptability across combat sports. Tömörkhüleg's participation in two Olympic Games solidifies his status as a prominent figure in Mongolian sports, inspiring a new generation of martial artists in his home country.