by sportswriter Li Jia
NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games came to a close Sunday, wrapping up 16 days of competition marked by record-breaking performances but marred by logistical snags and criticism over its organization.
More than 17,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries and regions took part in the Games while over 50 world records have been broken.
President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani announced the closing of the Games.
"Tonight, we close the Games that will shape the next generation of Asian Sport," he said. "From the first competition to the very last, Asia's finest athletes captivated us with their performances. You created a legacy that reaches far beyond sport and Japan, touching every corner of our great continent."
China topped the gold medal table for the 12th consecutive edition, collecting 169 gold, 89 silver and 83 bronze medals for its best haul at an overseas Asian Games. Sailor Bi Kun carried the Chinese delegation's flag at the closing ceremony.
Japan finished second with 83 gold, 95 silver and 91 bronze medals, its most gold medal tally at an Asian Games. South Korea placed third with 39 gold, 43 silver and 68 bronze medals.
Thai sprinter Puripol Boonson and Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi were named the men's and women's Most Valuable Players of the Games, respectively.
Boonson won the men's 100m and 200m titles and took silver in the mixed 4x100m relay. The 20-year-old clocked an Asian Games record of 9.90 seconds in the 100m, becoming the only finalist to break the 10-second barrier.
Yu, 13, claimed three gold medals, setting an Asian record in the women's 200m individual medley and Asian Games records in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley.
Throughout the 16-day competition, the Aichi-Nagoya Games were plagued by problems, including a shortage of beds and transportation failures. Organizers encountered accusations of poor management.
Games organizing committee president Hideaki Omura apologized Sunday for a series of logistical glitches, including delays in accommodation check-ins and transportation.
Omura said organizers had faced "unforeseen challenges" and responded to them on a day-to-day basis.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) acknowledged that the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games had faced various operational challenges, but said the Games had ultimately provided athletes with the necessary conditions to compete and perform at their best.
"There is no Games without challenges," said Mohammad Tayyab Ikram, chair of the OCA Coordination Committee for the 2026 Asian Games, at a press conference on the final day of the Games. "The way we handled the challenges should be more important to highlight."
The Aichi-Nagoya Games adopted a distributed accommodation model, with athletes staying in container-style huts, cruise ship and hotels rather than in a purpose-built village. "It was difficult to understand when this model was proposed, but we now have a good practice. Maybe other Games will look at it," he said.
The OCA flag was passed from Aichi-Nagoya to Doha, the host of the 21st Asian Games. However, the date of the event has not been decided yet. There has been speculation that the Games could be pushed back by a year, but organizing committee CEO Ahmed Abdullah Al Buainain of Doha Asian Games said "it remains undecided". ■
