The Hanging Endurance challenge in Quest 3 of Physical: Asia pushed contestants to their absolute limits, with Team Mongolia ultimately claiming victory after a tense and grueling battle against Turkey and Japan. The challenge, which lasted nearly two hours, was a critical event in determining which team would be eliminated from the competition.
The Grueling Rules of the Hanging Endurance Challenge
The challenge took place in an arena with ropes hanging from trees. One participant from each teamโMongolia, Turkey, and Japanโhad to suspend themselves using the ropes. The rules were simple but brutal. Each contestant had to hold two rings with their hands and use two other rings as supports for their feet.
As the challenge progressed, the difficulty increased. After a set amount of time, the players were instructed to release one of their hands. Later, they were told to uncross their feet, a change that tested their stability and pain tolerance to the extreme. A key rule was that holding one ring with two hands or hooking one ring around both feet was not allowed. Breaking this rule meant immediate disqualification.
The Contestants and Their Mindset
Each team selected a key member for this individual challenge. Team Mongolia put forward Lkhagva-Ochir Erdene-Ochir, an acrobat who expressed confidence before the event began.
“As an acrobat, it’s practically my job to hang on ropes all day. It’s my second home at this point,” Lkhagva-Ochir said.
Team Turkey was represented by Anฤฑl Berk Baki, while Team Japan chose Nonoka Ozaki. Ozaki believed her lighter body weight could be an advantage, allowing her to wait out her opponents. Team Mongolia’s Orkhonbayar felt confident that Lkhagva-Ochir would secure an easy victory for them.
The Nearly Two-Hour Battle for Survival
The challenge began with all three participants finding their initial balance. After 10 minutes, they were all steady. The first major test came at the 19-minute mark when they were ordered to release one hand. The real struggle began at the 39-minute mark when they were forced to unlock their feet from their locked positions.
This change in posture intensified the strain. Team Japan’s Nonoka Ozaki began to struggle, losing feeling in her fingers.
“Weirdly enough, I had lost all feelings in my fingers. So I had to use all my strength just to keep holding on,” Ozaki confessed.
After 46 minutes, Ozaki could no longer maintain her grip and fell, leaving only Mongolia and Turkey in the competition. The two remaining athletes continued to endure the pain for over an hour. After 100 minutes, Lkhagva-Ochir acknowledged the mounting pain, while Anฤฑl from Turkey felt his hands and feet going cold but refused to quit.
The decisive moment came after one hour and fifty-one minutes. In a critical error, Anฤฑl Berk Baki accidentally touched one of the rings with his other hand, which was against the rules. This violation led to his disqualification, handing the victory to Team Mongolia.
How the Win Fit into the Larger Quest
The Hanging Endurance was one of four challenges in Quest 3, which also included Pillar Vaulting, Stone Totem Endurance, and the Sack Toss. In this quest, the six remaining nations were split into two groups, Group A and Group B. The group featuring the Hanging Endurance challenge discussed in this article was Group B, consisting of Mongolia, Turkey, and Japan.
The scoring system awarded three points for first place, two for second, and one for third. Mongolia’s win in the Hanging Endurance earned them three crucial points. Combined with a first-place finish in the Stone Totem Endurance and a tie in the Sack Toss, Mongolia finished first in the group with 9.5 points. Japan came in second with 7.5 points, and Turkey was eliminated after finishing third with 7 points.
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