Amid teen triumph and organisational chaos, Asian Games close in Japan
Oct 4, 2026 · byAl JazeeraTopic · Place
Aichi
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Oct 4, 2026 · byAl Jazeera
Mansoor bin Mohammed hails UAE's best-ever Asian Games performance
Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, has praised the UAE delegation's outstanding performance at the Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, where the country recorded its best-ever result since making its debut at the Games in 1978. The UAE finished 13th among 45 participating nations and second among Arab countries, winning a total of 13 medals - seven gold, five silver and one bronze. His Highness said the achievement reflects the determination of UAE athletes to raise the nation's flag and strengthen the country's standing among Asia's leading sporting nations. Sheikh Mansoor described the haul of seven gold medals, a first in the UAE's Asian Games history, as a proud achievement that reflects the efforts of athletes, technical and administrative teams, and national sports federations throughout the preparation period and the competitions. Historic achievements His Highness praised the achievements of Sheikha Latifah bint Ahmed bin Juma Al Maktoum, whose silver medal with the UAE show jumping team at Aichi–Nagoya 2026 took her Asian Games medal tally to four. Sheikha Latifah previously won team bronze at Doha 2006, team silver and individual silver at Guangzhou 2010, and team silver at Aichi–Nagoya 2026. Her four Asian Games medals draw her level with Malaysia's Quzandria Nur Mahamad Fathil for the highest medal tally achieved by a female equestrian in Asian Games history. His Highness also commended the UAE show jumping team for securing silver in the team competition and praised Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi for winning individual silver on the final day of competition. Mariam Kareem shines Sheikh Mansoor also highlighted the performance of Mariam Kareem, who won gold in the women's 400m hurdles in 54.31 seconds, setting a new Asian Games record and a new Asian U20 record. Her performance was the second-fastest time ever recorded in the women's 400m hurdles at the world U20 level. His Highness praised Kareem's resilience after she had earlier competed in the UAE mixed 4x400m relay team, which narrowly missed out on a medal. Record medal haul The UAE recorded its highest-ever gold medal tally at the Asian Games, surpassing its previous best of five gold medals achieved at Hangzhou. The UAE's gold medallists were: Mariam Kareem (women's 400m hurdles) Kazbek Naguchev (men's under-73kg judo) Balqees Abdulla (jiu-jitsu) Khaled Al Shehhi (jiu-jitsu) Ahmed Andeez (jiu-jitsu) Mahdi Al Awlaqi (jiu-jitsu) Asma Al Hosani (jiu-jitsu) Silver medallists included: Suleiman Abdulrahman (athletics) Al Anoud Al Harbi (jiu-jitsu) Omar Al Suwaidi (jiu-jitsu) UAE show jumping team Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi (individual show jumping) Ammar Al Hosani added a bronze medal in jiu-jitsu. Strong UAE participation The UAE competed at the 20th Asian Games in Japan with a delegation of 165 athletes, including 117 men and 48 women, across a wide range of sports. The country's modern pentathlon and padel teams made their Asian Games debuts at Aichi–Nagoya 2026. The Games, held from September 19 to October 4, brought together more than 11,000 athletes, about 6,000 coaches and officials, and featured 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 events.
Oct 4, 2026 · byMobile Business
Asian Games 2026 among best ever, says OCA as UAE celebrates record jiu-jitsu success
Nagoya, Japan: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee (AINAGOC) have hailed the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 as one of the most successful editions in the event's history. Speaking at a wrap-up press conference on the day of the closing ceremony, Tayyab Ikram, Chair of the OCA Coordination Committee for the Games, described the event as a "great experience" and a "wonderful experience". He said the OCA and AINAGOC had been committed to providing the best sporting environment for athletes and added: "Our objective was clearly attained." Ikram noted that the Games featured nearly 11,000 athletes, a figure exceeding that of the Olympic Games, and highlighted the use of a cruise ship and temporary cabins at Nagoya Port as athletes' accommodation, describing it as a potentially sustainable and economical model for future events. Husain Al Musallam, Director General of the OCA, said the efforts of all stakeholders had delivered "one of the best performances in the history of the Asian Games." He highlighted the sporting achievements recorded during the Games: 54 world records 89 Asian records 212 Games records 11 junior world records Al Musallam said these achievements were supported by quality accommodation, transport, healthcare, food and nutrition services provided to athletes. He also stressed the role of the Asian Games in bringing countries together. "Asia is united in sport, in peace and in solidarity. This is our aim," he said. Al Musallam added that AINAGOC had done a "fantastic" job in delivering the Games and revealed that revenue from marketing, sponsorship and television rights increased by 19 per cent compared with the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. According to the OCA, 40 of the 45 National Olympic Committees won at least one medal during the Games. The event involved around 60,000 people daily, including 17,000 athletes, coaches and team officials, 7,000 media representatives, 5,000 technical officials, and 30,000 volunteers. The UAE produced one of its strongest performances at the Games through its national jiu-jitsu team, which topped Asia with five gold medals, the highest tally in the country's history at the event. The achievement surpassed the UAE's previous best results of two gold medals at Jakarta 2018 and four gold medals at Hangzhou 2023. Among the standout performers was Ahmed Khalifa Andez, who became one of the youngest gold medallists at the Games at the age of 18 years and one month. In athletics, Mariam Karim recorded a personal best in the 400m hurdles, reflecting continued technical progress for UAE athletics.
Oct 4, 2026 · byMobile Business
Asian Games 2026 Livestream: Where to Watch the Event In the U.S. Online
Some of the best athletes in the world are in Japan this week for the 2026 Asian Games, a multi-sport competition held every four years for countries in Asia. This year’s Asian Games take place in Nagoya, located in the Aichi Prefecture in Japan, and Aichi–Nagoya 2026 makes the 20th edition of the event. Almost […]
Sep 27, 2026 · byVariety
Japan schoolboy, 11, wins gold while empty seats blight Asian Games
Yuki Kurihara storms to Puyo Puyo title aged 11 Organizers ‘not satisfied’ with sluggish ticket sales Weightlifting world records continue to tumble Eel-loving schoolboy Yuki Kurihara, 11, won an Asian Games gold medal in Japan on Saturday, more weightlifting world records were set and organizers admitted they were “not satisfied” with ticket sales after swaths of empty seats were seen at the athletics. Kurihara, believed to be the youngest competitor at the Games in Aichi-Nagoya, romped to a 10-2 victory in the esports game Puyo Puyo Champions after going 1-0 down in the final. Continue reading...
Sep 26, 2026 · byThe Guardian
Japan Airlines to be an official supplier for 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya
Japan Airlines (JAL) has signed on as an official supplier to the 20th Asian Games, running September 19… The post Japan Airlines to be an official supplier for 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya appeared first on AeroTime .
Sep 8, 2026 · byAeroTime📰
Aichi Prefectural Police Launch Asia-Pacific’s First Bell 505 Aerial Law Enforcement Operations
Aviation News – Aichi Prefectural Police Debut Bell 505 Helicopter in Historic Regional First Bell Textron Inc. and the Aichi Prefectural Police have officially...