Asian Games close after fortnight of turmoil and teenage triumph

NAGOYA, Japan, Oct 4 - The 20th Asian Games closed on Sunday after a rocky fortnight lit up by youthful brilliance in the sporting arenas but tempered by logistical dysfunction and subdued public interest.

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani declared the Games closed at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, with the torch handed to organisers of the next event in Doha 2030.

Some 17,000 athletes and officials came for the Aichi-Nagoya showpiece, more than the Paris Olympics, competing in 469 gold-medal events spanning Tokyo to Osaka.

The massive scale clashed with organisers' planning for a "simple, streamlined and functional event" -- and the results were often chaotic.

Athletes and teams complained of bungled accommodation and transport, prompting repeated apologies from the embarrassed organising committee.

Despite the challenges, the Games were lifted by the performances of teenage titans, led by China's 13-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi.

Awarded the female Most Valuable Player of the Games, Yu is on track for a huge Los Angeles Olympics after claiming three individual gold medals in the Tokyo pool.

She swam the second-fastest time in winning the 200 metres individual medley, setting up a battle royale with Canada's world-record holder Summer McIntosh.

Her 19-year-old teammate Zhang Zhanshuo became the first swimmer to win seven golds at the Games, while Japan's 17-year-old wunderkind Shin Ohashi smashed the 200m breaststroke world record.

Youthful brilliance lit up the athletics, with China's 18-year-old Yan Ziyi producing a world-class throw to win the women's javelin gold while 20-year-old Thai sprinter Puripol Boonson swept the 100 and 200m to become the men's MVP.

NO GAMES VILLAGE

The athletes performed despite regular logistical failures and occasional diplomatic gaffes.

"Accommodation, transport and other issues -- it seems a lot of teams were affected," Hong Kong team chef de mission Wong Po-kee told Reuters on Sunday.

Organisers opted to house athletes and officials in a mix of hotels, wooden container units and a cruise ship to cut costs rather than build a dedicated athletes' village.

They budgeted for 15,000 athletes and officials -- about 2,000 fewer than total registrations -- and struggled to manage them.

Waves of athletes spent up to 12 hours waiting to be registered on arrival.

When checking in, some found their rooms double-booked or being shared by the wrong teammates.

Transport problems dogged the Games throughout, with athletes' shuttle buses failing to turn up or taking them to the wrong venues. Several competitions were delayed by the errors.

South Korea's delegation were particularly aggrieved, with their team chef de mission marking the Games' organisation with an 'F'.

Their men's soccer team were upset when the South Korean flag was unable to be hoisted for the national anthem at the victory ceremony after they beat Japan for the gold medal on Saturday.

The North Korean national anthem played for South Korea's men's hockey team earlier in the Games in another awkward mix-up.

Five years after the Tokyo Olympics was staged without fans due to COVID-19 restrictions, Japan's first major multi-sport event was blighted by poor crowds.

Fewer than 1,000 spectators watched the hosts beat South Korea in the women's soccer semi-finals at a 50,000-capacity stadium.

Much smaller venues were often nearly empty, though many were based in far-flung locations, making access a challenge.

"If I had to say, well, I don't think it was a success," Nagoya resident Naoko Toda, who watched several competitions, told Reuters before the closing ceremony.

Despite the issues, the Games' governing OCA declared Aichi-Nagoya a success and praised organisers for their frugal arrangements.

China topped the table with 169 golds among 341 medals, their best haul at an overseas Asian Games.

But Japan also delivered for fans who tuned in, with 83 golds in a total of 269 medals, smashing their previous record at Hiroshima 1994.

Padel, mixed martial arts, teqball and surfing made their Games debuts in a record 43-sport programme that dwarfed the Paris Olympics.

Qatar is set to host the next Asiad in 2030, though the OCA may elect to push it back a year to serve as the continent's Olympic qualifiers before Brisbane 2032. REUTERS