Goodbye Hangzhou, see you in Nagoya 2026

At exactly 20:17, the 19th ASIAD torch was extinguished on the cauldron at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium in China, bringing the 19th Asian Games to a close. The largest sporting event on the continent was supposed to take place last year, but the COVID-19 pandemic had not completely subsided by September 2022, forcing the Chinese government to seek the opinion of the Asian Sports Council (OCA) to postpone the event by one year.

With more time to prepare, host China delivered an Asian Games that met Olympic standards. With advanced, modern technology applied to the organization and strict criteria for environmental protection, the 19th ASIAD became a green, smart, honest and noble event, satisfying sports fans across the continent.

The closing ceremony of the 19th ASIAD was attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and many heads of state. The program lasted for about 75 minutes with ceremonial parts and artistic performances arranged alternately. The content was mostly dedicated to honoring the athletes - the main characters who competed with the highest effort and noble sportsmanship to achieve impressive results at the Games.

Chia tay Hàng Châu, hẹn gặp ở Nagoya 2026 - Ảnh 2.

OCA Acting President Raja Randhir Singh (left) hands over the Asian Games flag to Governor of Aichi - Nagoya region Hideaki Omura (Photo: REUTERS)

The volunteers were also honored by the Organizing Committee at the closing ceremony, recognizing their tireless efforts and enthusiasm in supporting and helping 12,000 athletes, nearly 5,000 technical officials and thousands of reporters present in Hangzhou. The contributions of these "silent heroes" have made an important contribution to the success of the Games.

Similar to the opening ceremony, virtual reality technology and modern sound and light technologies together contributed to creating sparkling and magical performances on the closing day of the 19th ASIAD. The virtual giant clasping his hands to make a heart symbol while the "unique" flame gradually extinguished in history will leave unforgettable impressions in the hearts of viewers, at the same time sending greetings towards the 20th ASIAD in Nagoya - Japan in 2026.

At the 19th ASIAD, the host Chinese sports delegation affirmed its strength by not only ranking first overall with a record number of 201 gold medals, more than the total number of gold medals of the next 8 delegations at the congress. China won 41.96% of the total gold medals from 481 events, winning overwhelmingly in most sports in the Olympic system (athletics, gymnastics, badminton, rowing, shooting, swimming, table tennis).

The Vietnamese sports delegation won 3 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 19 bronze medals - ranked 21st at the 19th Asian Games and dropped to 6th place in Southeast Asia, after Thailand (12th, 14th, 32nd), Indonesia (7th, 11th, 18th), Malaysia (6th, 8th, 18th), Philippines (4th, 2nd, 12th) and Singapore (3rd, 6th, 7th). This result is a decline compared to the previous games in Indonesia (4 gold medals, 15 silver medals, 19 bronze medals, ranked 17th). This will be an issue that needs to be thoroughly dissected and resolved in order to complete the goal set by the Government 's "Vietnam Sports Development Strategy to 2020, vision to 2030".

Goodbye Hangzhou, see you again at the 20th ASIAD in Nagoya - Japan in 2026!