A team of 35 represented Mongolia at the Tokyo 1964 Games, competing in five sports - athletics, cycling, gymnastics, shooting and wrestling.

No medals were won by the country in the Japanese capital, but it signalled the start of a run of appearances at the Summer Games broken only by the boycott at Los Angeles 1984.

The anniversary has been marked by the Mongolian National Olympic Committee (NOC) at Olympic House in the capital Ulaanbaatar.

NOC President D Zagdsuren and sports vice-Minister M Tumenjargal awarded 16 living Olympic legends, ranging in age from 70 to 88, with International Olympic Committee pins

They then took part in the opening of an "Olympic mini park" in the city's National Park, with 100 trees planted commemorating the nation's Olympians and medallists.

Mongolia, a country with a population of around three million, has won two gold medals, seven silver and 15 bronze at the Summer Olympic Games.

Its first medals were won at Mexico City 1968, with both gold medals won at Beijing 2008

They came courtesy of judoka Naidangiin Tüvshinbayar and boxer Enkhbatyn Badar-Uugan.