The 20th Asian Games ended on Sunday with a closing ceremony of music and colour in Aichi-Nagoya, where Japan passed hosting duties to Doha for the 2030 edition. The ceremony closed a fortnight that hosted more than 17,000 athletes and officials across Nagoya and Aichi prefecture.
China finished top of the medal table with 169 golds. Hosts Japan were a distant second on 83.
Young athletes set the standard on the field of play. Thirteen-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi won three golds in Games-record times, including the 200m and 400m individual medley double, and was named a Games MVP. Japan's Shin Ohashi, 17, broke the men's 200m breaststroke world record, and Thai sprinter Puripol Boonson, 20, completed the 100m and 200m double to take the men's MVP award despite rain-hit athletics sessions. Eleven-year-old Yuki Kurihara became the youngest champion in Games history by winning an esports gold.
The Games also debuted padel, MMA and virtual taekwondo, all three with Olympic ambitions. The Olympic Council of Asia pointed to 50 world records set since the 19 September opening. "Numbers are facts," its director general said.
The organisers leave with a mixed report, however. The edition had no athletes' village, transport and venue mix-ups delayed events, and crowds were thin at many venues. Japan's Olympic committee president acknowledged there had been many problems, but said the country still wants to host international events in future.
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Original summary by Proventier.