Men's free-style wrestling tournament opens in N China's Inner Mongolia

The 2017 national men's free-style wrestling tournament kicked off on Wednesday in the city of Ulanqab in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with 347 wrestlers from all parts of China participating in the games.

The four-day contest serves as the qualification stage for the 13th National Games in September.

The competition attracted more than 2,000 spectators on its first day.

In the morning, 65 athletes in the 65 kilograms weight group fought in the knockout round, showcasing their strength and skills such as clinch fighting, joint locks and pins, wowing the audience with swift throws and clever takedowns.

After 63 tense rounds of competition, 32 wrestlers entered the final round.

"Wrestling is one of the oldest and most appealing sports in human history," said Dong Shenghui, secretary of the Chinese Wrestling Association. "Compared with the world's top level, men's wrestling in China stands at an advanced and promising stage with great potential. I think confidence is the key for our athletes at this stage. It is exactly what this tournament tries to help. Boosting confidence is where its most pivotal meaning lies."

Through 589 matches in total, the athletes will compete for 80 tickets to enter the National Games to be held in Tianjin.

All together, there are eight different classifications of contests according to athletes' weight, ranging from 65 to 125 kilograms. Endit