Asian Games History And Host Countries

Asian Games is also called Asiad; it is a continental multi-sport program that is scheduled every four years among athletes from all over Asia. Asian Games History starts with the time when these games were regulated by Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, till the year 1978 Games.

However, from the year 1982 Games, Asian Games has been managed and organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the split of the Asian Games Federation. Now, the Games are acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are considered the second largest multi-sport event following the Olympic Games.This page discusses the Asian Games History along with the List Of Host Countries Of Asian Games. We will go through the Achievement List Of Indian Performances In Asian Games.

Asian Games History: The Asian Games History And Host Countries

We know that the first event of Asian Games was held in New Delhi in March 1951, following this, the events continue till present day.

The First Edition Of The Asian Games: New Delhi 1951

After the Second World War, Japan was suspended from the 1948 Olympics in London; they were not invited to the establishing meeting of the Asian Games Federation in 1949; however, the country was permitted to compete in the inaugural Asian Games.

South Korea also could not participate because of the Korean War, which had started on 25 June 1950 and lasted till 27 July 1953.

However, the Asian Games were officially opened by Indian President Rajendra Prasad at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.

In this game, a total of 489 athletes from 11 National Olympic Committees (NOC) competed in 12 sports, where Japan topped the sports table with 24 gold, 21 silver and 15 bronze medals. Therefore, a total of 169 medals were awarded in the Games.

The Second Edition Of The Asian Games: Manila 1954

The second release of the Asian Games event was held in Manila (Capital of the Philippines) in May 1954.

Formally, the Games were opened by the then Philippines President Ramon Magsaysay at The Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium.

970 athletes from 19 National Olympic Committees competed in 8 sports.

Once again, Japan won the sports event by achieving 38 gold, 36 silver and 24 bronze medals; therefore, a total of 218 medals were awarded. 

The Third Edition Of The Asian Games: Tokyo 1958

The Torch Relay (Mashal rally in Hindi) is a well-established facet in the build-up to both the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and was introduced as a new custom of the Asian Games for Tokyo 1958.

The Relay started at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, the principal venue for the precursor Games in Manila.

In Japan, the Torch was carried from the US-occupied Okinawa Island to Kagoshima Prefecture on the Kyushu island for a voyage via the Japanese archipelago.

A total of 1,820 athletes from 16 countries participated in 13 sports in May and June.

The sacred flame was burned at the Opening Ceremony by triple jumper Mikio Oda, who three decades earlier was conferred with the title of Japan's first Olympic champion for winning the gold medal at Amsterdam in 1928.

Officially, the games were opened at the National Stadium by Japan Emperor Hirohito.

Yet again, Japan marked its presence on the medal table with 67 gold, 41 silver and 30 bronze medals; therefore, a total of 302 medals were awarded in this event.

The Fourth Edition Of The Asian Games: Jakarta 1962

The fourth edition of the Asian Games was scheduled in Jakarta in two months, i.e., August and September 1962.

Politics marked their presence behind the scenes as, under pressure from Arab countries and China, the Indonesian Government declined to supply visas to the representatives from Israel and Taiwan.

Nevertheless, an aggregate of 1,460 athletes from 12 countries competed with badminton making its debut as one of 13 sports.

The 1962 Games were officially opened by the former Indonesian President Sukarno at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Japan won the medal table with 73 gold, 65 silver and 23 bronze.

A total of 381 medals were awarded.

The Fifth Edition Of The Asian Games: Bangkok 1966

In December 1966, the fifth edition of the Asian Games was held in Bangkok.

Taiwan and Israel came back to the Games and a total number of 1,945 athletes from sixteen countries competed in the event.

Women's volleyball made its debut (the first performance) as one of 14 sports at the event.

The Games were offered aristocratic approval as they were officially opened by the King of Thailand by Bhumibol Adulyadej (the name conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great in 1987 who was the ninth monarch of Thailand from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama IX) at the National Stadium .

Japan once again topped the medal table with 78 gold, 53 silver and 33 bronze medals.

Furthermore, a total of 454 medals were awarded.

The Sixth Edition Of The Asian Games: Bangkok 1970

The Asian Games once again returned to Bangkok in 1970 after original hosts Seoul dropped their bid because of concerns about security threats from North Korea.

Therefore, Thailand staged the Games in both August and September with the help of funds offered by South Korea.

A count of 2,400 athletes from 16 countries fought with sailing making its debut (the first appearance) as one of 13 sports on the multi-sports programme.

Yet again, the Games in Bangkok, 1970 were ceremoniously opened by the former King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej at the National Stadium.

The mascot cauldron lighter was Preeda Chullamondhol, a Thai cyclist who once competed at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics.

Yet again, Japan marked history by topping the medal table with 74 gold, 47 silver and 23 bronze. On the whole, 427 medals were awarded.

The Seventh Edition Of The Asian Games: Tehran 1974

In September 1974, the seventh edition of the Asian Games was held in Tehran in the form of the quadrennial event shifted to the Middle East for the first time.

The Azadi Sport Complex was purposely built for the organizing the Asian Games 1974, which displayed Iran’s capital play host to a record 3,010 athletes from 19 varying countries.

Also, the following games were added to existing disciplines with 16 sports now on the programme:

Fencing, 

Gymnastics, and 

Women's basketball

Besides these games, the use of state-of-the-art technology, starting from synthetic track to photo-finish cameras, the Games were also well-known for strict security measures under the effect of reported threats from Palestine and a Japanese militant sector.

At that moment, politics played a significant role as the action got advanced with the the following countries:

Arab nations, 

China, 

North Korea, 

and Pakistan refused to counteract Israel in fencing, basketball, football, and tennis.

The Asian Games Federation (AGF) conference that was scheduled 10 months prior to the Games, had decided to reject Taiwan and accept China.

The Games were ceremoniously initiated by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, at the Aryamehr Stadium.

Iranian freestyle wrestler Mansour Barzegar gave the athletes’ oath, however, Golverdi Peymani lit the Cauldron.

Once again Japan marked its presence by winning the highest count of 75 gold, 49 silver and 51 bronze medals.

On the whole, 601 medals were awarded. 

The Eighth Edition Of The Asian Games: Bangkok 1978

In December 1978, the eighth edition of the Asian Games was held in Bangkok - further, it was the third time in four editions that Thailand staged the Asian Games steps after various conflicting issues.

Original hosts Singapore could not complete all the obligations due to the financial crisis.

Thereafter, Pakistan’s capital Islamabad was then selected to stage the event but it was also pulled out because of conflicts with India and Bangladesh.

So, it landed an opportunity for Bangkok to step in and host the Games again.

However, on the political front, Israel was debarred from the Asian Games.

On the whole, 3,842 athletes from 19 countries participated in 19 sports.

The games making their debuts were bowling and archery.

Yet again, the Games were ceremoniously opened by the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej at the National Stadium.

Japan marked its presence with 70 gold, 58 silver and 49 bronze.

Furthermore, a total of 625 medals were awarded.

The Ninth Edition Of The Asian Games: New Delhi 1982

The 10th release of the Asian Games was held in New Delhi in November and December 1982. 

This denoted a re-visitation of New Delhi, hosts of the debut release of the Games in 1951.

New Delhi subsequently joined Bangkok as the solitary urban communities to have numerous releases of the Asian Games. 

The 1982 version was the primary Asian Games to be supported by the Olympic Council of Asia.

The Asian Games Federation, under whose purview the initial eight Asian Games had been held, had been broken down. 

By the 1980s, the Games were increasing impressively in size. 

A total count of 3,411 athletes from 23 nations competed in 21 games. 

Introductory sports were equestrian, golf, handball, ladies' hockey and paddling, while at the same time bowling and fencing were prohibited. 

New Delhi 1982 denoted the start of China's strength in the decoration standings, finishing Japan's run of getting in general victories at all past releases of the Games. 

This time not Japan, China amassed 61 gold, 51 silver and 41 bronze. 

In anticipation of the Games, shading TV had been brought into India and empowered the Games to be communicated utilizing the extremely most recent innovation. 

These Games were likewise essential for a fresh reason, as the introduction to the Asian Games to present a mascot, with Appu - an elephant Indian authorities asserted addressed fidelity, wisdom and strength - chosen.

South Korea, which would proceed to have the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Olympics in Seoul, had a 406-man delegation at New Delhi 1982.

This incorporated an observation team to study all the events, facilities and management committees.

The Games were authoritatively opened by Indian President Zail Singh at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. 

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P T Usha, perhaps India's most prominent competitor, read the athlete’s oath. 

Standards were rising constantly with 74 Asian and Asian Games records broken. 

A sum of 614 awards were granted.

The Tenth Edition Of The Asian Games: Seoul 1986

The tenth release of the Asian Games occurred in Seoul in September and October, 1986. 

The settings and offices were profoundly amazing as they were likewise going to be utilized for the 1988 Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea's capital. 

Considered a test occasion for the Olympics, a sum of 4,839 athletes from 22 nations competed in 25 games. 

The Games debuted with ladies' cycling, judo, ladies' shooting and taekwondo. 

Principles were high with upwards of 83 Asian records and three world records broken, while two world records were equalled. Japanese hammer thrower Shigenobu Murofushi dominated Asian Matches gold for the fifth progressive time, a grouping extending back to Bangkok 1970. 

Hodori, a tiger whelp, was the authority mascot of both the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympics. 

Be that as it may, the star of Seoul 1986 was India's P T Usha, who won four gold medals and one silver to make her the best track and field athlete at the Games. 

Ten communist nations - Afghanistan, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, South Yemen, Syria and Vietnam - boycotted the Games because of political strains. 

The only one not to was China, which indeed beat the award table with 94 gold, 82 silver and 46 bronze. 

South Korea reached second ahead of Japan, denoting the transitioning of game in the country. 

An aggregate of 837 medals was granted.

Only a couple of days before the Games were authoritatively opened by South Korea President Chun Doo-hwan, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, a government agent exploded a bomb behind a vending machine at Gimpo International Airport, killing five individuals.

The Eleventh Edition Of The Asian Games: Beijing 1990

The eleventh version of the Asian Games was held in Beijing in September and October 1990. 

This was the main huge scope global game to be facilitated by China. 

An absolute number of 6,122 competitors from 36 nations competed in 27 games. 

Sports that made their presentation were paddling, kabaddi, sepak takraw, softball and wushu.

Baseball and delicate tennis were showing sports. 

The development to Beijing 1990 saw the passing of OCA President Sheik Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah during the Iraqi attack of Kuwait. 

OCA base camps were briefly moved to Great Britain until the US freed Kuwait in 1991. 

PanPan, a panda, filled in as a vital mascot. 

Seven world records - six in bows and arrows and one in cycling - and 89 Asian records were broken, while one world record and 11 Asian records were equalled at Beijing 1990. 

The Games filled in as a forerunner to China's future advancement in the donning field as the nation proceeded to offer, fruitlessly, for the 2000 Olympics and afterward effectively for the 2008 Olym

Beijing 1990 was formally opened by Chinese President Yang Shangkun at the Workers' Stadium. 

Chinese competitors Xu Haifeng, Gao Min and Zhang Rongfang, who competed in shooting, plunging and volleyball separately, lit the Cauldron. 

China beat the medal table with 183 gold, 107 silver and 51 bronze. 

An aggregate of 976 medals was awarded.

Since the list is endless, we will proceed with the seventeenth event. In 2018, the event was held in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, now let us look at the seventeenth event of the Asian Games. 

The Seventeenth Edition Of The Asian Games: Incheon 2014

The seventeenth release of the Asian Games occurred in Incheon in September and October 2014. 

It was the third time South Korea had organized the Olympic Council of Asia's masterpiece occasion, continuing in the strides of 1986 hosts Seoul and 2002 hosts Busan.

A sum of 9,501 competitors from 45 National Olympic Committees competed in 36 games. 

Three spotted seal kin were the authority mascots of the Games. 

Known as Barame, Chumuro and Vichuon, which means wind, dance and light, they were picked as representative to the future harmony between North Korea and South Korea. 

The Games' trademark was "Diversity Shines Here". 

They were formally opened by South Korea President Park Geun-hye at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium. 

Once more, China bested the award table with 151 gold, 109 silver and 85 bronze. 

An aggregate of 1,454 medals was granted.

Additional Information

Below, you can find the chart displaying the number of gold, silver and bronze medals won by a respective country in respective years of the Asian Games starting from 1951 till 2018:

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So, this was the Asian Games history and host countries. By going through this list, you will definitely crack your exam with a good score. Now, let us go through Indian Performances In Asian Games under facts and figures.

Indian Performances In Asian Games: Facts And Information

• New Delhi, the national capital of India was the first country to host the Asian Games on two occasions: first was the inaugural of 1951 Asian Games and another was the 1982 Asian Games.

• India showed itself at the Summer appearance in the following years:

1951

1954

1958

1962

1966

1970

1974

1978

1982

1986

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

2010

2014

2018

• However, the winter appearances were:

1986

1990

1996

1999

2003

2007

2011

2017

• India ranked 2nd at the first Asian Games held in New Delhi by winning 15 gold, 16 silver and 20 bronze (total 51) medals.

• Indian ranked 5th in 1982 Asian Games held at New Delhi by winning 155 gold, 201 silver and 316 bronze medals, i.e., a total of 672 medals.