Why in news? The 19th Asian Games came to a close on, October 8th, with a grand closing ceremony at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in China.

Highlights:

• Asian Games flag was handed over to the next host city.
• The 20th Asian Games will be held in Japan in 2027.
• Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and boxer Lovlina Borgohain were India’s flag-bearers during the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony
• At closing ceremony, Sreejesh, the Indian hockey team goalkeeper, carried India’s flag.
• China topped the medal list with 383 medals and followed by Japan with 188
• India managed to top the medal table in four different events at this edition of the Asiad- archery, cricket, kabaddi and hockey

India’s Performance in the games

• The Indian contingent bagged a record 107 medals – 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze in Hangzhou, surpassing their previous best, set at 2018 Jakarta.
• It became only fourth country after China , japan and South Korea to win 100 or more medals in single edition of Asian games
• India sent 655 athletes to compete in 41 disciplines at the Asian Games 2023. It was India’s largest representation at the Asian Games in the 19 editions held so far.

Medals

• Indian shooters won seven gold medals and accounted for the most gold medals for the country at Hangzhou 2023
• Athletics turned out to be the most productive sport for India at the Asian Games 2023 with a total of 29 medals – six gold, 14 silver and nine bronze.
• Indian archers, led by Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Pravin Deotale, won nine medals included five golds
• Sanjana Bathula became the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Asian Games after she won the bronze in the women’s speed skating 3000m relay event
• Jaggy Shivdasani became the oldest Indian to win an Asian Games medal at 65 years