The Mongolian National Olympic Committee sent a total of 20 athletes, 13 men and 7 women, to compete in 7 different sports, tying its delegation count with Sydney four years earlier. In the wake of Munkhbayar Dorjsuren's transfer to the German team, three Mongolian athletes had previously competed in Sydney, including shooter Otryadyn Gündegmaa in the women's pistol events. Judoka and world champion Damdinsürengiin Nyamkhüü was appointed by the committee to become Mongolia's flag bearer in the opening ceremony, dressed in a traditional costume.[1]
After failing to achieve a single Olympic medal from Sydney, Mongolia left Athens with only a bronze from twenty-year-old judoka Khashbaataryn Tsagaanbaatar on the first day of the Games.[2]
Mongolian athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).[3][4]
Key
Note – Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
Q = Qualified for the next round
q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
Eight Mongolian judoka (six men and two women) qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics, its largest contingent in any sport, and it was rewarded with its only medal of the Games. Khashbaataryn Tsagaanbaatar won his first three matches in less than five minutes, progressing to the semifinals, where he lasted less than thirty seconds against his Japanese opponent. In the bronze medal match, there were no scores in the five-minute period, so another period was played, and Tsagaanbaatar scored with less than a minute-and-a-half remaining to win the bronze.
