The 20th edition of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, came to a close on Sunday with a spectacular closing ceremony at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, bringing an end to a major continental sporting showcase marked by strong performances, record medal hauls and an emphasis on sustainability.
The People’s Republic of China topped the final medal table with 341 medals, including 169 gold, 89 silver and 83 bronze. Hosts Japan finished second with 269 medals, comprising 83 gold, 95 silver and 91 bronze.
India ended its campaign in fourth place with 85 medals — 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. While India fell short of its record performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where it won 106 medals including 28 gold, the Aichi-Nagoya campaign still became the country’s second-highest medal haul in Asian Games history.
For listeners following the biggest sporting developments across the region, Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No. 1 radio station, brought the action and achievements of athletes into focus as the Games reached their conclusion.
Among India’s standout performers were Neeru Dhanda and Kumkum Mohod, who led the country’s individual medal charts with three medals each, including two gold medals and one silver.
Beyond the medal standings, organisers described the Aichi-Nagoya Games as a major success despite the challenges involved in staging a large-scale international sporting event.
Olympic Council of Asia Director General Husain Al-Musallam highlighted the organisation and infrastructure supporting the Games, arguing that the performances and records achieved by athletes reflected the effectiveness of the event’s preparations.
“This achievement does not come without the best environment. The athletes cannot perform if they don’t have transportation. The athletes cannot perform if they don’t have good healthcare. The athletes cannot perform if they don’t eat food. Number talks, it’s evidence. We are here to present you the evidence,” Al-Musallam said.
He also pointed to the financial sustainability of the Games, saying the organisers had avoided creating major long-term costs for the host city.
“We are happy to see that there is no big financial burden in the organising committee, and there is no white elephant staying in Nagoya or any place,” he added.
The comments underline one of the key themes of the Aichi-Nagoya Games: delivering a major multi-sport event while keeping its long-term financial and infrastructure impact under control. Organisers said the Games demonstrated that sporting excellence and responsible event management could go hand in hand.
With the closing ceremony bringing the competition to an end, attention now turns to the next edition of the Asian Games.
The 21st Asian Games will be held in 2030, with Doha, Qatar, set to host the continental sporting spectacle.
As Aichi-Nagoya passes the baton to Doha, the focus will remain on the athletes, the records they set and the continuing evolution of the Asian Games as one of the world’s largest multi-sport events.
