August 14, 2024
BANGKOK – The Paris 2024 Olympics ended sensationally with the United States clinching the last competing gold medal to share the top gold medal honour with China at 40 apiece (US tops the table with more medals).
China, of course, was Asia’s sport powerhouse followed by Japan and South Korea whose gold medal tallies are among the top 10 countries. Hong Kong also claimed fame, with the highest prize money for a gold medalist at US$767,990.
The old adage: “My country didn’t send me to start a race but to finish it”, comes to mind for the crowds’ favourites – Bhutan’s Kinzang Lhamo and Mongolia’s Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, in the women and men marathons, respectively.
Both completed their marathons despite Lhamo being the first timer with no experience on flat ground running; while Bat-Ochir became the first person ever to run 6 Olympic marathons.
Here’s a look at the other Asian Olympic stars:
Pakistan: Javelin star Arshad Nadeem ended the country’s 40-year wait for Olympic gold.
Philippines: Carlos Yulo’s two Gold medals in men’s artistic gymnastics surpassed previous Team Philippines’s tally. Yulo is also is the first Filipino two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Indonesia: Rizki Juniansyah made history by securing Indonesia’s first-ever Olympic gold in weightlifting. Veddriq Leonardo won gold in Men’s Speed Climbing, marking Indonesia’s first Olympic gold in this discipline.
Thailand: Taekwondo ace Panipak Wongpattanakitanipak is the first Thai two-time Olympic gold medalist.
China: Chang Yuan became China’s first woman Olympic champion in boxing. China claimed its first-ever Olympic gold medal in artistic swimming.
Japan: Haruka Kitaguchi Won gold in Women’s Javelin Throw – the 1st Japanese to win in the event. Gymnast Shinnosuke Oka claimed the 3rd gold – becoming the first Japanese athlete to win three gold medals at a single Olympics since the 1972 Munich Games.
South Korea: Swept all five gold medals in archery – marking the best performance by in Olympic history.
Hong Kong: In a stunning comeback victory Vivian Kong Man-wai’s gold is the third in the city’s Olympic history.