The Asian Games continued with thrilling competitions and notable achievements, including a sensational swim by Chinese teenager Pan Zhanle and the debut of esports as an official medal event.
In a remarkable display of talent, Pan Zhanle propelled China to victory in the men’s 4×100 meters medley relay with a freestyle leg swum at world record pace. The 19-year-old swimmer, who had already broken the 47-second barrier in the 100 meters freestyle, clocked an astonishing 46.65 seconds. His time outpaced the 100m world record held by 19-year-old Romanian David Popovici by 0.21 seconds.
China’s world champion Qin Haiyang played a pivotal role, recording a swift 57.63 seconds in the breaststroke leg, faster than the Asian record. China secured the gold with a time of three minutes 27.01 seconds, just shy of the U.S. world record of 3:26.78 set at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Qin Haiyang expressed the team’s ambitions, stating, “Our goal has always been to win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics next year.”
China continued its dominance in the pool, with Olympic bronze medalist Li Bingjie clinching victory in the women’s 400m freestyle.
Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey emerged as a strong contender against China’s supremacy. Haughey, the former British colony’s first Olympic swimming medallist, secured the blue riband 100m freestyle title with an Asian record time of 52.17 seconds. Her impressive performance followed her victory in the 200m freestyle.
Esports made its official debut as a medal event in Hangzhou, five years after being a demonstration sport in Jakarta. A Chinese team of five gamers claimed the first gold medal in the “Arena of Valor” competition, marking a significant moment for esports as it advocates for inclusion in the Olympics. While Chinese authorities have imposed restrictions on gaming, thousands of enthusiastic fans cheered on the Chinese gamers during the intense competition.
China extended its lead in the medals table, excelling in gymnastics, table tennis, and shooting. Gymnast Zhang Boheng clinched the all-around individual title, adding to his men’s team triumph.
North Korea made a notable appearance at the multi-sport event, with its athletes drawing attention for their actions and flag’s presence despite supposed bans due to anti-doping failures. The World Anti-Doping Agency launched a “compliance procedure” against the Olympic Council of Asia regarding the flag.
South Korea also faced scrutiny for its athletes’ conduct, including a judoka’s disqualification for slapping an opponent and a tennis player’s racket-smashing tantrum. The tennis player, Kwon Soon-woo, visited Thailand’s training camp to apologize for his behavior.
The Asian Games featured a touch of royalty as Thailand’s Princess Sirivannavari Mahidol participated in the dressage team event, riding a horse named ‘Es Fangar’s Samba King.’ Although Thailand finished fifth, the princess expressed her passion for horses and badminton, with the support of her father, King Vajiralongkorn.
The Asian Games continue to provide thrilling moments and showcase the talents of athletes from across the continent in various sports and disciplines.
