In the heart of the world's largest and most diverse continent, an extraordinary sporting spectacle takes place, uniting nations, cultures, and athletes from all corners of Asia. The Asian Games, often referred to as the "Asiad," is a biennial multi-sport event that showcases the athletic prowess, cultural richness, and the spirit of unity in diversity that characterizes Asia. This unique event has evolved into a grand celebration of sport, surpassing mere competition. In this article, we delve into the history, significance, and the magic that defines the Asian Games.

Origins and Evolution

The story of the Asian Games began in 1951 when New Delhi, India, hosted the inaugural edition. Inspired by the success of the British Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games) and the Olympic Games, the founders sought to create a similar platform for Asian nations. The Asian Games quickly gained momentum, and since then, it has grown to become the world's second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympics. In the modern era, these games have also embraced the digital age, with websites like onlinekladionice.com providing a hub for fans to engage, bet on their favorite teams, and celebrate the diverse sporting talent showcased in this incredible event.

From its humble beginnings, the Asian Games has seen tremendous growth and transformation. The number of participating countries has expanded significantly, reflecting the vibrant diversity of the Asian continent. Initially focused on a few core sports, the event now encompasses a wide array of disciplines, including traditional Asian sports like kabaddi, sepak takraw, and wushu, alongside global favorites such as athletics, swimming, and gymnastics.

Also Read: Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally: India's medals by sport

Unifying the Continent

The Asian Games serve as a testament to the power of sports in fostering unity and promoting diplomacy. Despite the cultural, political, and linguistic differences that can sometimes strain relations between Asian nations, the event provides an arena where rivalries take a back seat to sportsmanship. The Asian Games offer a unique opportunity for people across the continent to come together and celebrate their shared love for sports, transcending borders and differences.

Also Read: India sanctions a strong 446-member contingent for upcoming Asian Para Games

The Cultural Tapestry

One of the distinguishing features of the Asian Games is its rich cultural component. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies are extravagant showcases of the host country's heritage, blending traditional and modern elements to create an unforgettable experience. These ceremonies are a fascinating window into the history and culture of the host nation, as well as the broader Asian region.

Asian Games also provide a platform for athletes to express their cultural identity. From the intricate costumes of Indonesian dancers to the disciplined kata performances in martial arts, the games are a tapestry of diversity, and they offer spectators an opportunity to explore and appreciate the vast array of Asian cultures.

Legendary Performances

The Asian Games have witnessed some legendary moments that have etched themselves into the annals of sporting history. It was at the 1966 Bangkok Games that Japanese swimming sensation, Tsuyoshi Yamanaka, set an astounding 10 world records in just 6 days. The 1978 Bangkok Games showcased the remarkable exploits of Chinese gymnast Li Ning, who became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 on the horizontal bar.

From legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh to the awe-inspiring dominance of Chinese divers, the Asian Games have been graced by numerous athletes whose performances have made them household names across the continent.

The Asian Games: A Platform for Progress

Beyond the sporting spectacle, the Asian Games are also a platform for progress and change. Hosting the games often necessitates significant infrastructure development, enhancing the host city's transportation, accommodation, and sports facilities. The games also serve as a catalyst for promoting healthy living and a culture of sports among the host nation's populace, leaving a lasting legacy long after the closing ceremony.

Conclusion

The Asian Games are a remarkable celebration of athleticism, culture, and unity. This biennial extravaganza transcends geographical boundaries, cultural divides, and linguistic differences, uniting the vast and diverse continent of Asia under the banner of sport. As the Asian Games continue to evolve, they stand as a testament to the enduring power of sports to bring people together, inspire nations, and showcase the best of what this remarkable continent has to offer.

Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha on Monday said that the Executive Board (EB) of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has agreed to include yoga in the Asian Games and the OCA General Assembly If approved, it will get a place in the games.

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Usha proposed to include yoga in the Asian Games

PT Usha has written a letter to Randhir Singh, acting president of the Asian Olympic Council, on June 26, proposing to include yoga as a sport in the Asian Games. On Monday Usha confirmed that OCA acting president informed her about the EB's decision.

“I am delighted that the OCA Executive Board spontaneously agreed to India’s request to give yoga the recognition it deserves. The proposal shall now move through the Sports Committee to the General Assembly for confirmation,” PT Usha thanked Randhir Singh in an IOA release.

IOA is hopeful yoga will eventually become a medal sport.

An IOA source said that the first step has been taken towards including Yoga in the Asian Games as a medal sport. The final determination of whether yoga will be a medal sport or a demonstration sport will be made by the OCA General Assembly. Since yoga is widely practiced, the IOA is hopeful it will eventually become a medal sport.

“Whether it will be medal sport or demonstration sport, that will be decided by the OCA General Assembly. It’s the first step. But since Yoga is prevalent worldwide, the IOA is hoping for it to be a medal sport in due course of time,” the source said.

PT Usha indicated that it was a natural progression for the competitive sports community to adopt yoga, especially since it has gained global recognition. Yoga is an ancient Indian sport, which maintains physical and mental health.

Also Read: Mansukh Mandaviya in takes stock of India's preparation for Paris Olympics 2024 during a meeting with PT Usha

Yogasana Bharat has already received recognition from the Sports Ministry for the development of yogasana as a competitive sport in India. Additionally, Yogasana has been added as a competitive discipline in the Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games since 2020.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist boxer Lovlina Borgohain won a silver medal in the women's 75kg category at the Czech Grand Prix 2024 in Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic.

In the round-robin tournament, Lovlina Borgohain won against Chantelle Reid of England but lost to Cindy Ngamba and Li Qian. Borgohain lost her final match against the reigning Asian Games champion late on Saturday night by a margin of 2-3.

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Qian is a two-time Olympic medalist and has three World Championship medals, including one gold to her name.

Four boxers were included in the women's 75 kg category in this tournament organized under the aegis of World Boxing. Borgohain, Refugee Boxing Team's Cindy Ngamba, Li Qian, and England's Chantelle Reid - and it is being held in a round-robin format.

Borgohain managed only one win in the tournament

Lovlina Borgohain managed only one win in the tournament, losing two of her three matches. This boxer from Assam had won her first match against England's Chantelle Reid by a split decision in a tough match, but later she had to face defeat from Cindy Ngamba and Li Qian. 

Lovlina gunning for her second Olympic medal

The 26-year-old boxer, who is the only Indian to participate in the tournament, is gunning for her second Olympic medal as she is one of the six Indian boxers to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024.

Also Read: Nishant Dev achieves Paris Olympic quota, becomes the first male boxer to do so

Indian boxing team for Paris Games

The Indian boxing team for Paris 2024 is a mix of experienced Olympians and rising stars. In the women's category, Borgohain is joined by two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (50 kg), Preeti Pawar (54 kg), and Jasmine Lamboria (57 kg). The men's team includes Amit Panghal (51 kg), and Nishant Dev (71 kg).

Asian Games silver medalist Jyothi Yarraji equaled her national record to win the women's 100m hurdles event at the Motonet GP Athletics Meet, but missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics 2024 by just 0.01 seconds. 

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Competing in her third outdoor event of the season, Jyothi Yarraji clocked 12.78 seconds while the Paris Olympics qualification mark is 12.77 seconds. Jamaica’s Crystal Morrisson with 12.87 seconds and Finland’s Lotta Harala with 12.95 seconds settled for the second and third positions, respectively.

Interestingly, the 24-year-old athlete had missed the Olympic entry mark by the same margin at the World University Games in Chengdu, China last year. 

Most recently in April 2024, despite winning the gold medal, Jyothi Yarraji missed the qualifying mark by 0.1 seconds at the Harry Schulting Games at Vught in the Netherlands.

Tejas Shirse also missed Olympic mark

Meanwhile, Tejas Shirse won the men's 110m hurdles with a timing of 13.41 seconds. He broke the previous national record (13.48) set by Siddhanth Thingalaya at the 2017 Altice Invitational meet in the US. But his effort fell short of the Paris Olympics qualification mark of 13.27 seconds by a small margin.

Mohammed Afsal secured the top spot in the men’s 800m event

Mohammed Afsal won the men's 800m with a timing of 1:48.91. In the men's 100m race, 20-year-old Animesh Kujur finished second with a personal best timing of 10.39 seconds, while in the men's 200m national record holder Amlan Borgohain finished fourth in the 100m race with a personal best timing of 10.54 seconds.

The qualification period for the Paris Olympics ends on June 30. 

Also Read: Delhi High Court upholds Paris Olympics selection policy formulated by NRAI

Shaili Singh finished second at Trond Mohn Games

Elsewhere, at the Trond Mohn Games, which is also a World Athletics Continental Tour (silver) event in Bergen, Norway, Indian long jumper Shaili Singh finished second at 6.12m.

The star Indian badminton pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty achieved the top position in men's doubles of BWF World Rankings with 99,670 points. The Indian pair achieved this top position by winning the men's double event title of Thailand Open Super 500 badminton. They defeated China's Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the final.

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Satwik-Chirag toppled Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China to regain their position in the BWF World Rankings. Earlier, the Indian duo was in the third position before the start of the Thailand Open.

Satwik-Chirag has achieved the No. 1 position in the BWF World Rankings for the second time. Earlier, the duo had clinched the top position for the first time after winning the gold medal in the Asian Games. They also became the first Indian pair to achieve this milestone.

The excellent performance of this Indian pair before the Paris Olympics 2024 starting in July is a good sign for the country. 

Earlier, the pair had to face defeat in the pre-quarterfinals of the All England Champions and then Satwik-Chirag's performance in the Thomas Cup was also not good. However, this star pair has once again brought glory to the country by winning the Thailand Open title.

Also Read: Satwik-Chirag overtakes Saina Nehwal's record of spending the most number of weeks at No. 1 in BWF World Rankings

This was the Asian Games champion pair's second title of the season and ninth BWF World Tour title of their career. Before this, they had won the French Open Super 750 title in March. Apart from this, both were runner-ups in Malaysia Super 1000 and India Super 750.

Indian athlete Jyothi Yarraji won the women's 100m hurdles event at the Harry Schulting Games 2024 athletics meet in the Netherlands on Thursday. However, she was unlucky to miss the qualification mark for the Paris Olympics 2024 by one-tenth of a second. 

Also Read: Jyothi Yarraji to train in Spain as part of the preparations for the Paris Olympics 2024

Jyothi finished ahead of Mira Groot 

In her first event of the outdoor season in Europe, Asian Games silver medalist Jyothi Yarraji won the gold medal by clocking 12.87 seconds, ahead of Dutch hurdler Mira Groot, who finished second in 13.67 seconds, while another Dutch Runner Hanna van Baast finished in 13.84 seconds. 

Jyothi Yarraji finished first and clocked 12.87, missing the Olympic entry standard, set at 12.77, by 0.10 seconds. 

Earlier in the day, Jyothi had qualified for the 100m hurdles final with a timing of 13.04 seconds.

This is the second time Jyothi fell short of the qualifying mark

This is the second time that Jyoti, who trains at the Reliance Foundation High-Performance Center in Bhubaneswar, fell short of the qualifying mark by one hundredth of a second after she clocked a national record of 12.78 to clinch a bronze medal at the worlds.

Jyothi Yarraji, who had performed well at the Asian Indoor Season earlier in the year at the University Games in Chengdu, China, will compete in five more events during the Olympic qualifying period, which ends on June 30 this year.

Tejas Shirse won the 110m hurdles 

Meanwhile, Indian men's hurdler Tejas Shirse won the 110m hurdles in the same meet with a personal best timing of 13.56 seconds, ahead of local Dutch athletes Joas van Hellemondt (13.80 seconds) and Jamie Sesay (13.92 seconds). 

In the heats, Shirse came second overall with a timing of 13.78s. The qualifying mark in the men's 110m hurdles for the Paris Olympics is 13.27s. Meanwhile, India's national record in the event stands at 13.48s clocked by Siddhanth Thingalaya in 2017.

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra confirms his participation at Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar

Men's 200m national record holder Amlan Borgohain was also scheduled to compete in Vught on Thursday, but he did not attend the event.