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Asian Games: China on top at Asiad again but Japan gaining in swimming and other key Olympic sports ahead of Tokyo 2020

Mainland athletes collected 132 gold medals compared to Japan’s 75 but are almost equal with their rivals in four disciplines that reap medals at Tokyo 2020

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Su Bingtian raises his hand in triumph after winning the 100 metres. Photo: Kyodo

China have been dominating the Asian Games ever since they topped the medals table for the first time in Delhi in 1982. The 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang marks the 10th time in a row that the Chinese have finished number one.

China’s sports machine is simply too big to allow other countries to compete when it comes to the region’s biggest multi-sport event. Therefore, a measure of the mainland’s success has less to do with its medal count as opposed to how their athletes compare to rival Asian nations in sports that will produce glory in the Olympic Games.

In such a scenario, China will certainly be looking nervously at Japan, who finished second in the medal standings in 2018 and will have home advantage at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Gold medallist Sun Yang (C) and bronze medallist Ji Xinjie (R) of China pose after the men's 1500m freestyle final. Photo: Xinhua
Gold medallist Sun Yang (C) and bronze medallist Ji Xinjie (R) of China pose after the men's 1500m freestyle final. Photo: Xinhua

China earned 289 medals over the past two weeks 132 gold, 92 silver and 65 bronze.

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