2023-09-22 05:37:51
The 19th edition of the Asian Games will be flagged off in Hangzhou, China. 481 matches will be held in 40 sports categories. Athletes from 45 countries including India are participating. The fair, which was supposed to be held in 2022, is being held this year due to Covid. Hence officially known as 2022 Asian Games.
The Asian Games is the biggest sporting event on the Asian continent. Also known as Asiad. Like the Olympics, it is held every four years. From 1951 to 2018, 18 fairs have been held. The Games are organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (formerly the Asian Games Federation).
History of Asian Games
The idea of a sports festival involving all the countries of the Asian continent was proposed by Indian Prof. Gurudutt belonged to Sondhi. Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave his support. On February 12, 1949, representatives from nine countries participated and discussed the conduct of the Asian Games. The very next day, the Asian Games Federation came into existence. And it was decided to hold the first Asian Athletics Championship in New Delhi.
Nehru presented the name
The name Asiatic Games was originally intended for the fair. Jawaharlal Nehru proposed the Asian Games instead.
Father of Asian Games
Prof. sweated a lot to implement the concept of Asian Games. Gurudutt Sondhi was the Principal of Government College, Lahore before the partition of India. After retirement he settled permanently in Delhi. He was the Secretary of the Asian Games Federation and the Secretary of the Indian Olympic Association.
First fair in New Delhi
New Delhi set the stage for the first Asian Games. Witnessed by 30,000 spectators, on March 4, 1951, the President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the first fair. 489 athletes from 11 countries participated. Competitions in a total of six events (athletics, basketball, cycling, football, swimming and weightlifting).
Bangkok is ahead of the venues
Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, holds the record for the most number of Asiad host cities (four times –1966, 1970, 1978, 1998). Three times each in South Korea (1986, 2002, 2014) and China (1990, 2010, 2022). The first in the Arab region was held in Tehran, the capital of Iran (1978). The first Games to be staged in a Gulf country was held in Doha, Qatar (2006). The only Games held in two cities was in 2018 (Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia).
India and the Asian Games
India is one of the seven countries to have participated in all the fairs. India has so far won 155 gold, 201 silver and 316 bronze medals in the history of the Games. A total of 672 medals. India’s best finish in the medals table was in 1951 when they finished second. The most golds were won in the 2018 fair (16). 2018 also saw the highest number of medals won (total 70 medals. Gold – 16, Silver – 23, Bronze – 31). India’s first gold in Asian Games history was Sachin Nag (100m freestyle, 1951). India won the highest number of medals in athletics (total 254. 79 gold, 88 silver and 87 bronze).
Malayalam’s own games
Many Malayalees have won gold from Asian Games venues. Thiruvalla Pappan (Thomas Matthai Varghese) and Kottayam Sali (PB Muhammad Sali) hold the record of being the first Malayalees to win Asiad gold (Football, 1951). But the first Malayali to win gold in the individual category T. C. It is John. (Longjump, Tehran, 1974). The first gold medal for a Malayali woman in the individual event M. D. Named following Watsamma (400m Hurdles, 1982). In the 1986 Games held in Seoul, P. T. Usha won gold in all four events (200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, 400m relay). Silver in 100m. This medal haul is the best achievement by an Indian in the Asiad. Usha still holds the title of Indian athlete who has won the most Asiad medals – 11 medals from five events.
China overtook Japan
China has won the most gold medals in Asian Games history (1474 gold). China also holds the distinction of being the nation that has topped the Asian Games medal table for the most number of times. From 1951 to 1978, Japan was in the lead eight times in a row. In 1982, China jumped to the number one position. In the last 10 Melas (1982–2018), she was the leader.
Content Highlight – Asian Games | Anil Phillip Asian Games | 2022 Asian Games | History of Asian Games | India and Asian Games | Padhippura
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