Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games closes with success and growth for Paralympic movement

The Closing Ceremony for the 4th Asian Para Games took place on 28th October and signalled the end to six days of competitions that saw 3020 athletes compete in 502 medal events.

Speaking at the ceremony, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee Majid Rashed declared that the Games had surpassed his expectations and taken the Asian Paralympic Movement to a new level.

He went on to state that 33 NPCS were on the medals table and this was the most ever. He congratulated Yemen (bronze), Nepal (bronze), and Kyrgyzstan (one gold, two silver and one bronze) for winning their first ever Asian Para Games medals and outlined that many records had been broken during the Games, including 279 Asian Games records, 71 Asian records and 20 World Records. 

Addressing the athletes, he said; “Athletes, you have inspired us all with your performances and you have shown the world that there are no limits to what can be achieved with determination and courage.

“All of this shows that the Paralympic Movement in Asia is getting stronger. And as I’ve always said, 'we are stronger together'”.

He thanked the people behind the success of the Games; HAPGOC, the local and Chinese government, the volunteers, sponsors and the media.

After lowering the APC flag and playing the APC anthem, Hangzhou mayor Yao Gaoyuan handed over the flag to Rashed, who entrusted it to Hideaki Ohmura, governor of Aichi prefecture and Hideo Nakata, deputy mayor of Nagoya, the host city of the 2026 Asian Para Games.

Competition concluded earlier in the day, with China beating I.R. Iran in Blind Football 2-1 on penalties after the game finished 0-0 at full time. The Rowing events ended with China taking four of the Gold medals and Uzbekistan the remaining one.

Recap in numbers

China finished atop the medal tally for the fourth consecutive edition, after winning 214 golds, 167 silvers and 140 bronzes, the team secured their best record at an Asian Para Games. They were represented by 439 athletes in 390 events of 22 sports. Their athletes set 12 world records and 36 Asian records. 

Chinese swimmer Jiang Yuyan won seven gold medals and one bronze, the most in the 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. and because of her achievements, she was named the flag bearer for her delegation during the closing ceremony. The 19-year old is already a star in the sport world, as she has already won two gold, one silver and one bronze medals and broke three world records during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.  On 2021 she even won the Asia Paralympic Committee's 2021 Asian Best Young Athlete Award.

Yuyan lost her right arm and right leg in a car accident when she was three. 

Iran and Japan sit second and third in the tally with 44-46-41 and 42-49-59 respectively. 

A total of 3,021 athletes from 44 countries and regions took part in Hangzhou, which marked the second time that China has hosted the continental para multi-sports event following its inaugural edition in 2010 in Guangzhou.