Curtains come down on Asian Games

After delivering two weeks of memorable sporting action, the 19th Asian Games came to an end with the closing ceremony at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium. Special moments of the Asian Games were revisited on the screens and the closing ceremony concluded with the digital torch bearer. India finished their Asian Games 2023 with a record tally of 107 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze. Their previous best was 70 medals (16 gold) at Jakarta 2018. This was India’s most successful performance in an edition of the continental games. In compound archery, India won all five golds that were in contention as Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Pravin Deotale achieved a treble. India also won six golds and a total of 28 medals in athletics. In the javelin throw, both Annu Rani and Neeraj Chopra bagged gold medals. Parul Chaudhary, Avinash Sable and Tajinderpal Singh Toor also topped the charts in the women’s 5000m, men’s 3000m steeplechase, and men’s shot put, respectively. Sable also won a silver in the men’s 5000-meter run. The men’s 4x400m relay team of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi and Rajesh Ramesh also added gold to India’s kitty. In shooting, India won 22 medals, including seven gold, nine silver and six bronze medals. In rifle shooting, Aishwary Pratap Singh won four medals: two gold, one silver and one bronze. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as “historic achievement” Indian athletes winning the highest-ever total of 107 medals at the Asian Games, and said the unwavering determination and hard work of the players have made the nation proud. Indian athletes touched the magical figure of 107 medals at the Asian Games with their blood, sweat and toil over the last fortnight. In a post on X, Modi said, “What a historic achievement for India at the Asian Games! The entire nation is overjoyed that our incredible athletes have brought home the hi