World : Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games Set To Close With Hopes For A More Inclusive Society

NAGOYA (Japan), Oct 24 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games will draw to a close on Saturday, with organisers hoping the continental sporting event will leave a lasting legacy and help build a more inclusive society, Kyodo News reported.

A record 45 countries and regions sent around 4,000 athletes and officials to participate in 18 sports, including boccia, which has no Olympic counterpart, at the fifth Asian Para Games, according to the organising committee.

China topped the medal standings with 435 medals, including 207 gold, while host Japan followed with 186 medals, including an Asian Para Games-record 64 gold.

Unlike the Asian Games, where South Korea finished third, Uzbekistan emerged as a force at the Asian Para Games, placing third in the medal standings with 145 medals, including 45 gold.

One of the biggest highlights of the Asian Para Games was local favourite and world No. 1 wheelchair tennis player Tokito Oda, who won the men’s singles gold on Friday and became the first Japanese athlete to secure a berth at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.

In contrast to the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, which were held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest Asian Para Games attracted crowds, although attendance varied significantly across sports.

Athletes expressed gratitude for the support from spectators, including children who attended the Games through school programmes.

At a news conference earlier on Saturday, Katsuya Hashimoto, a member of the Japanese wheelchair rugby team that won silver, said, “The children's cheers were incredibly energetic and gave us a real boost.”

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa expressed hope that watching Para athletes compete would inspire children to help build a more inclusive society.

“I hope the Asian Para Games will become a catalyst for change, prompting people to think about disability as something close to them and what each of them can do,” Hirosawa, acting president of the organising committee, said.

On the final day of competition, Japan beat Singapore 4-2 in the boccia mixed pairs BC3 final for athletes with severe physical impairments, winning its first gold medal in the sport.

Meanwhile, operational issues persisted during the Games, following a series of problems that had also marred the Asian Games.

Incorrect national anthems were played at three events, according to the organisers.

The quadrennial Asian Para Games are next scheduled to be held in Doha in 2030.

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