Story highlights Tüvshinbayar Naidan is Mongolia's first ever Olympic championJudoka, 33, also won silver at London 2012His success has spurred thousands to take up the sport(CNN) Mongolia won six medals at the 2017 Judo World Championships, belying a population of just three million to finish third in the overall table. Only Teddy Riner's France and Japan -- creators of the sport -- could boast a better haul. In recent years, judo has flourished in the land of Genghis Khan largely thanks to the exploits of one man. Enter Tüvshinbayar Naidan, crowned Mongolia's first ever Olympic champion at Beijing 2008, 44 years after the east Asian nation's debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games. Legends of Judo: Tüvshinbayar Naidan Beijing 2008 Olympics: Gold (-100kg) London 2012 Olympics: Silver (-100kg) Paris 2012 Grand Slam: Gold (-100kg) Jeju 2013 Grand Slam: Gold (-100kg) Incheon 2014 Asian Games: Gold (-100kg) Qingdao 2015 Grand Slam: Gold (-100kg) Tashkent 2015 Asian Championships: Gold (-100kg) Budapest 2017 World Championships: Bronze (+100kg)Born into a family of nomadic herders in the Bulgan province, Naidan grew up wrestling on the Great Steppe while tending to his family's livestock.

Source: CNN December 21, 2017 15:05 UTC