Asian Games 2014 And Other Trivias Of The Game

Incheon Asian Games 2014 officially known as the XVII Asiad 

Asian Indoor Sports Stadium 

Asian Games 2014 Medals 

The 2014 Asian Games officially known as the XVII Asiad, the biggest sports competition in Asia is taking place from September 19 - October 4, 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. Forty-five (45) nations from all across Asia whose 9, 535 athletes will converge and compete for 439 disciplines in 36 sports in a two-week long battle of brains and brawns. Host and fast rising powerhouse South Korea will attempt to battle it out for the number one spot against giant powerhouse China and Japan. Trailing behind them are the countries of Kazakhstan, Iran and Thailand. The once powerhouse country of the Philippines is now the laggard of Asia trailing way behind on the lower end of the ranking along with other small countries. Philippines is one of the weakest country in Asia not only in sports but also in social and economic progress. Starting in 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, the Philippines never produced a medal and many thought it is impossible for the country to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games.

Asian Games was first held in 1951 in New Delhi, India as a brainchild and idea of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to foster unity, friendship and cooperation among Asian nations. Since then it was held in different cities across Asia like Manila, Tokyo, Jakarta, Bangkok, Tehran, Seoul, Beijing, Hiroshima, Busan, Doha and Guangzhou. The next Asian Games to be officially called the XVIII Asiad will be held in Palembang, Indonesia in 2018. Iloilo would be happy to bid and host the games either in 2042 or 2046 and maybe Olympic Games in 2056. Asian Powerhouses China, Japan and South Korea collected the most number of medals in the history of the games.

Meanwhile, here are some interesting trivia of the Asian Games:

Prior to the Asian Games, there is a sporting competitions for countries in the Far East called the Oriental Championship or Far Eastern Games first held in 1913 in the Philippines with the first gold medal won by Philippines in football winning over Japan 15-2. The games was held until 1934 on the onset of the Sino-Japanese War and China's withdrawal upon the insistence of Japan to include the Manchu Empire as competing nation when the Games for 1938 was cancelled and ultimately discontinued thereafter.

The first edition of the Asian Games held in New Delhi, India in 1951 took place from March 4 - 11 and was participated by 489 athletes representing 11 nations competing in 57 events from eight (8) sports. Founding countries of the Asian Games were Afghanistan, Burma, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The eleven (11) participating nations of the first Asian Games were Afghanistan, Burma, Ceylon, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand.

First worldwide television broadcast of the games was in 1970 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Asian Games was held outside the capital city of the host country for the first time 1994 when it was held in Hiroshima, Japan.

Thailand hosted the games four times - the most number for any Asian nation. All the editions of the games in Thailand were opened by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and were closed on December 20. The first three editions of the games in Thailand were opened on December 9 while the last Bangkok games was opened on December 6.

Nine (9) nations have hosted the Asian Games.

Only seven countries namely India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand have competed in all editions of the games.

China and Japan were the only countries to have emerged over all champions in all editions of the games

Of all the countries to participate at the games, only Bhutan, Maldives and Timor-Leste (East Timor) are yet to win a single medal (current 2013).

Israel is the only Asian country absent in Incheon Asian Games 2014.