ИСТИНА

Mongolian wrestling is a specific form of combat sports, which differs from other varieties of wrestling in such characteristics as, e.g., absence of weight categories, no limitations in the duration of the clash. Aim of the paper was to study morphological and genetical characteristics of athletes with different level of competitive success in Mongolian wrestling. In 2013, 187 ethnic Mongolian males 18-24 years old were investigated in Ulaanbaatar: 87 athletes, participants in wrestling competition, and 100 non-athletes, control group. The program included anthropometric survey and genetical analysis of I/D polymorphic system of the ACE gene. All athletes were divided into 5 subgroups according to their results in the competition. It was shown that athletes who reached quarter-finals and higher stages of the competition, were taller, heavier, had larger values of thigh circumference. Statistically significant differences were found in the frequencies of ACE alleles between experimental and control groups (χ2= 8.29 р=.004). Odd ratios for Mongolian athletes revealed the advantages of I-allele carriers (OR=2,287, 95%CI 1,329-3,930). These results demonstrate that among factors influencing competitive success in Mongolian wrestling were height and weight, as well as the presence of an insertion allele of ACE gene, which was associated with higher aerobic capacities.