Chinese delegation reaches targets at Hangzhou Asiad: official

HANGZHOU, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's delegation won 201 gold, 111 silver and 71 bronze medals at the Hangzhou Asiad, breaking the 200-gold mark in the continental multi-sport event for the first time and achieving its targets for the Games, a Chinese delegation official said here on Sunday.

"This is also the 11th time for China to top the Asian Games medal table. Chinese athletes showed competitiveness and sportsmanship on the international stage. The host city provided a great platform for cultural exchanges," said Zhou Jinqiang, deputy chief of the Chinese delegation.

Chinese swimmers Zhang Yufei and Qin Haiyang were jointly awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Saturday, representing the first time in Asiad history that a female and a male athlete have shared the honor.

Olympic champion Zhang, 25, clinched six titles across her signature events of butterfly, freestyle and relays, while 24-year-old Qin pocketed five golds and a silver on his second Asiad appearance, including a hat-trick in the men's 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke.

"China continued its dominance in a number of events, such as diving, shooting, swimming, gymnastics and table tennis. Chinese athletes shattered three world records, 18 Asian records and 74 Games records in Hangzhou, demonstrating the strength of China in sports," Zhou said.

In track and field events, Chinese sprinters swept the four golds in the men's and women's 100m and 4x100m relays, while 34-year-old Olympic champion Gong Lijiao clinched her third Asiad shot put title with 19.58 meters for the hosts, adding that she hoped to break the 21-meter mark at the Paris Olympics.

On the range, 17-year-old Huang Yuting took three golds in 10m air rifle individual, mixed and team events, while rising tennis star Zheng Qinwen, a US Open quarterfinalist, claimed the Asiad women's singles gold for China.

"The Hangzhou Asiad is considered as an important test prior to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games," Zhou noted. "We are delighted to see rising stars and veterans showing great momentum in high-level competitions and preparing for the Olympics."

As the Hangzhou Asian Games concludes on Sunday evening, many touching moments, which reveal diligence, perseverance, patriotism and friendship, will leave lasting memories for participants and sports fans around the world.

"The Asiad has been an overall success, but we should recognize the challenges and difficulties ahead, particularly the disappointing results in the men's football and basketball," Zhou said. "We will strive to attain new heights in international events and related industries to develop China into a sporting powerhouse."