“Asian Games, I wanted to play, but…” Bayarsaihan looked forward to fulfilling a long-held dream

Despite his desire to compete at the Asian Games, Bayarsaihan swallowed his disappointment and moved on. He had been waiting for seven years to reach the stage of his dreams.

OK Financial Group held the ‘OK Financial Group Eatman Professional Volleyball Team Departure Ceremony OPEN PRACTICE’ event with fans at Ansan Sangryoksu Gymnasium on the 8th. Coach Ogino Massa and domestic players, as well as foreign players Leonardo Leyva Martinez (registered name Leo) and 토토 Asia Quarter player Bayar Saihan, all participated in the event and had a great time with the fans.

After the official schedule had wrapped up, we were able to chat with Bayarsaihan on the court. “I’ve been looking forward to this since I first heard about it,” said Bayarsaihan, who also danced in front of the fans. Personally, I was also nervous because it was my first season in the V-League. They told me that dancing is something that all rookies have to do, so I just did my best and had fun,” he said after the ceremony.

Bayarsaihan, who is wrapping up her first off-season as a professional, said, “Unlike in college, there is a good system in place. Also, Coach Ogisang (Ogino) always emphasizes the promised play, so I’m focusing on that and playing volleyball, which is fun and I’m learning a lot.” “I get along well with everyone on the team. Everyone is very supportive, and if you don’t know something, they’ll tell you. We’re like a family,” he said, expressing his gratitude and satisfaction with his coworkers.

Bayarsayhan added that he was especially genuine about his feelings for Leo. “Leo is someone I’ve been watching since I was really young, since I first started playing volleyball. I’ve always looked up to him,” said Bayarsayhan, who added, “I feel honored to play with a player of Leo’s caliber. He’s a player that I can relate to, and there’s something about being a foreigner that I can relate to,” he said.

While Bayarsayhan’s off-season was filled with satisfaction, there were also moments of personal disappointment. He passed up the opportunity to represent Mongolia in men’s volleyball at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Without him, Mongolia was forced to end the tournament early with two group stage losses. “They asked me if I could join the Mongolian team. To be honest, I wanted to go,” he says.

“But this is a very important first season for me, and it’s the long-awaited V-League, so if I got injured at the Asian Games, my dreams would be ruined, so I had to say no. I’m sorry. If I work hard, I’ll get another chance,” he said, adding that he’s not afraid to share his story. On the other hand, when asked about the progress of naturalization in South Korea, he said, “There are many conditions required for naturalization, such as graduating from college, owning a business, and having a fixed income. I’m thinking about how to fulfill them, but it’s true that the conditions are very demanding,” he said.

Now, Bayarsaihan is close to making his V-League debut after a seven-year wait. His first V-League game will likely be in the first round against the KEPCO in Ansan on the 20th. “I’m really grateful to all the fans who support OK Financial Group. Now that I am a part of the OK Financial Group, I will do my best to show my fans a good and entertaining game.” After giving up the Asian Games to fulfill a longtime dream, we can’t wait to see how he performs in the upcoming season.