Asian Games - 18th edition

Asian Games - 18th edition

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Asian Games – History

• The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years between athletes from all over Asia.
• The Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
• The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation(AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games.
• Since the 1982 Games, they have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia(OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation.
• The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
• Overall, nine nations hosted the Asian Games and forty-six nations participated in it, including Israel, which was excluded from the Games after their last participation in 1974.
• The last edition of the Games was hosted by Incheon, South Korea from 19 September to 4 October 2014.

Asian Games – 2018

• The 18th edition was originally scheduled to be hosted by Vietnam in Hanoi, however, the country withdrew its bid, based on economic considerations.
• Following Vietnam’s withdrawal, Indonesia offered to hold the 18th Asian Games. It was held from August 18 to September 2, 2018.
• This was the second time that Indonesia hosts the Asian Games. The first one was held in Jakarta in 1962.

• This was the first time that the Asian Games was held in two cities - Jakarta and Palembang.
• Although Jakarta and Palembang are the only cities mentioned as hosts, Bandung, the capital of West Java (Jawa Barat) also hosted several events as well as a few more cities in West Java such as Bogor, Bekasi, Cikarang, Subang and Depok.
• Some sports such as pencak silat, wushu, jujutsu, paragliding, and jet-ski as well as e-sports were presented in the 2018 Asian Games for the first time.

• Jakarta, Palembang and other host cities organized 462 sports events, which is the second largest number of events in the history of Asian Games. This is only 14 fewer events than Guangzhou in 2010.
• The games were officially opened by the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.
• The next Asian Games will be hosted at Hangzhou, China in 2022 as 19^th

India & Asian Games

• India was one of the first five founding members of the Asian Games Federation on 13 February 1949, in New Delhi. The organization was disbanded on 26 November 1981 and replaced by the Olympic Council of Asia.
• India is a member of the South Asian Zone of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and has participated in the Asian Games since their inception in 1951.
• New Delhi, the national capital of India, has hosted the Asian Games on two occasions: the inaugural 1951 Asian Games and the 1982 Asian Games.
• India is one of the only seven countries that have competed in all the editions of the Asian Games. The other six are Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Thailand. India has won at least one gold medal at every Asian Games, and always ranked within the top 10 nations of the medal table except in the 1990 Asian Games.

Features – Asian Games 2018

• For the first time, eSports, a form of competition using video games, and canoe polo were contested as demonstration sports. Six video game titles were featured in the event.
• North Korea and South Korea march under the Korean Unification Flag at the opening ceremony and, for the first time, compete as a unified team in some events; they also won one—and first—gold medal as a unified team. It was the first time both countries did so in the Asian Games after 12 years since 2006 editions.
• All 46 members of the Olympic Council of Asia participated in the games.
• The Kuwaitis were allowed to compete under their own flags just two days before the opening ceremony.

Ceremony, Logo, Music album – 2018

Ceremony

• On 18 July 2018, a ceremony took place in Brahma field by the 9th-century Hindu temple of Prambanan near Yogyakarta.

Logo

• The logo for the 18th Asian Games is a colorful circle taken from the shape of the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and named the Energy of Asia, depicting the strengthening spirit of the Games, participated by multicultural nations shining for all the world to see.

Music album                                  

• On 13 July 2018, the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) released an official music album of the 2018 Asian Games titled Asian Games 2018: Energy of Asia.
• The Indian contingent at the games was led by Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra, who was also India's flag-bearer at the glittering opening ceremony.
• Rani Rampal was named as the flag bearer for the closing ceremony.
• The torch relay began at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, on 15 July 2018.
• The three mascots of the Games include - Bhin Bhin, Atung, and Kaka.

Asian Games - Medals

• China led the medal table for the tenth consecutive time.
• Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee was announced as the most valuable player (MVP) of the Games.

India – Important Facts

• India secured a bronze medal in the men's team regu event which was the country's first medal in sepak takraw since the debut of the sport in the 1990 Asian Games.
• India secured its first-ever medal in table tennis in the Asian Games as the men's team won a Bronze medal by defeating Japan in the quarterfinal of the Table tennis at the 2018 Asian Games.
• In the 25-meter rapid fire pistol event, Rahi Sarnobat became the first Indian woman to clinch the gold medal in a shooting event of Asian Games.
• Vinesh Phogat, who won gold in the women's freestyle 50 kg category, became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at the Games.
• Saina Nehwal won India's first ever medal in the women's singles event in badminton at the Asian Games when she won the bronze medal after losing the semi-final.
• V. Sindhu became the first Indian shuttler to reach the final of a singles badminton event at the Games and eventually won a silver.
• Neeraj Chopra won the country's first javelin gold medal, setting a new national record.
• Vikas Krishan Yadav sets the record to become the first Indian boxer to clinch a medal in three successive Asian games.

India’s Performance

Tamilnadu’s performance

• PR Sreejesh - bronze medal - Hockey
• ArokiaRajiv - silver medal - men's and mixed 4×400 m relays
• Dharun Ayyasamy – silver medal - men's 400m hurdles
• Dipika Pallikal Karthik – silver medal - squash
• Joshna Chinappa – bronze medal - squash
• Sunayna Kuruvilla – silver medal – squash
• G Sathiyan - bronze medal - tennis
• Achanta Sharath Kamal - bronze medal - tennis
• A Amalraj - bronze medal - tennis
• The chief minister also announced a cash incentive of Rs 20 lakh each to three table tennis players who won bronze medals
• On August 28, 2018 the government had announced Rs 30 lakh each to Rajiv and Ayyasamy for grabbing silver in 400m mixed relay team and 400 metre hurdles, respectively.

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