LatestCourtney DittmarOctober 11, 2023Comment

The Asian Games wrap up, with China dominating the medal count

LatestCourtney DittmarOctober 11, 2023Comment

The Asian Games wrapped up Sunday with China dominating the medal count, followed by Japan and South Korea. China has traditionally been strong in the event and it was again, taking advantage of being at home in the eastern city of Hangzhou.

The Asian Games feature more competitors than next year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. About 12,500 participated, compared to about 10,500 expected in France.

The games offered all the traditional Olympic sports, and also a glimpse of one sport that is previewing next year in Paris — breaking, or breakdancing. And another, cricket, which will be included in either the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics or in 2032 in Brisbane.

It also offered some competitions not seen anywhere else in a multi-sports event: dragon boat racing, kabaddi, sepaktakraw (foot volleyball), 3x3 basketball and roller skating.

China is reported to have spent about $30 billion to prepare Hangzhou as a grand stage to show off its economic power to its neighbors, impress the local population and promote the city. The organizers also had an extra year to prepare, delayed from 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though China, Japan and South Korea are the powers at the Asian Games, many smaller nations and territories — 45 were represented — have a chance to win medals, which many are unable to do in the larger Olympics.

Uzbekistan's Ekaterina Voronina competes during the women's heptathlon long jump at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Lyu Ping of China, left, takes a punch from Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan, right, during boxing Men's 51-57Kg semifinal match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Hangzhou, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Bahrain's Eunice Chebichii Paul Chumba celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the women's marathon at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Gold medalists China's Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi takes part in the Free Routine segment of the Artistic Swimming Women's Duet competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Silver medalist, Uzbekistan's Mukhammadkodir Toshtemirov attempts for the Clean & Jerk segment of the Weightlifting Men's 81Kg competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

India's Ancy Sojan Edappilly competes during the women's long jump final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea's Kim Gaeun competes during the women's team gold medal badminton match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

India's players celebrate during the women's final cricket match between Sri Lanka and India at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

China's Fan Zhendong serves the ball to South Korea's Jang Woojin in the Table Tennis Men's Singles semi-final match for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Taiwan's Cho Chia-Hsuan reacts during the men's decathlon high jump at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

China's dragon boat team celebrates after finishing first in the Women's Dragon Boat 200m Grand Final during the 19th Asian Games at the Wenzhou Dragon Boat Center in Wenzhou, China, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

ZIin Ko Ko of Myanmar kicks to serve the ball during the men's and women's sepaktakraw preliminary match against Vietnam at Jinhua Sports Centre at the 19th Asian Games in Jinhua, China, Jinhua, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Macau's Zhao Hang U and Lo Ka Wai compete during the women's synchronised 10m platform diving final of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Taiwan's Guan Ling Chen competes in the women's 55kg Group A weightlifting final at 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Spectators cheer as runners compete during the women's marathon at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Indonesia's Rusdi Rusdi returns the ball during men's Group A sepaktakraw preliminary match against Myanmar at Jinhua Sports Centre at the 19th Asian Games in Jinhua, China, Jinhua, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

North Korea's Hyongyong Kang celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women's 55kg Group A weightlifting final at 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

India's Neeraj Chopra competes during the men's javelin throw final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Taiwan's Pei-Yu Shih, left, crosses the line to win gold at the Women's Speed Skating 10000m Point-Elimination Race event of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Taiwan's Kan Chia-Wei celebrates after defeating Turkmenistan's Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov during the men's 63.5-71kg semifinal boxing match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Hangzhou, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

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Runners prepare to compete during the women's 100-meter final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian )

Tajikistan's Magomet Evloev, right, and Kyrgyztan's Orozbek Toktomambetov compete during their men's freestyle 74kg wrestling bronze medal match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

South Korea's Jang Woojin serves a ball to China's Fan Zhendong during the Table Tennis Men's Singles semi-final match for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

South Korea's Jeon Jihee, left and Shin Yubin celebrate after defeating North Korea in the Table Tennis Women's Doubles Final match for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

South Korea's Hur Yoonseo and Lee Riyoung take part in the Free Routine segment of the Artistic Swimming Women's Duet competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Korea's Kim Changsu, right, and Mongolia's Tulga Tumur-Ochir compete during their Men's Freestyle 65Kg wrestling quarterfinal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Dancers perform during the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Athletes and team officials from participating countries gather for the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Flags of the participating countries are carried during the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)