China has topped the Asian Games medal table for the 12th straight time. It finished the Aichi-Nagoya Games, which ended on October 4,2026, with 169 gold, 89 silver and 83 bronze medals, a total of 341. The streak goes back 44 years, to 1982, when China first overtook Japan at the New Delhi Games.
China's 169 golds were more than the combined total of Japan, South Korea, India and Uzbekistan, who together won 164. Here is how the top five finished:
- China: 169 gold. 89 silver, 83 bronze, 341 total
- Japan: 83 gold,95 silver, 91 bronze, 269 total
- South Korea: 39 gold, 43 silver, 68 bronze, 150 total
- India: 21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze, 85 total
- Uzbekistan: 21 gold, 25 silver, 24 bronze, 70 total
The 169 golds are China's best total at an Asian Games held outside China. The previous best was 166, at Doha in 2006. It is lower than the all-time record of 201 golds that China set at Hangzhou in 2023.
China first took part in the Asian Games in 1974 and finished third. It moved up to second in 1978. In New Delhi in 1982, it won 61 golds, four more than Japan's 57, and has stayed on top ever since.
China sent 815 athletes. About two-thirds of them, 548, were making their Asian Games debut. Two young swimmers stood out. Yu Zidi, 13, won three golds and was named Female MVP. Zhang Zhanshuo, 19, won seven golds, which matches the Asian Games record for most individual golds at one Games.
China's team said its athletes broke eight world records, 11 Asian records and 22 Asian Games records. It also reported 30 golds in swimming and 17 in athletics. China remained strong in diving, table tennis, shooting and gymnastics. In diving, it has won every gold since the sport joined the Asian Games, reaching 100 diving golds.
Japan finished second at home with 83 golds, including wins in golf, swimming and wrestling, and it won the first Asian Games padel title. India finished fourth. Its 85 medals were its second-best haul at an Asian Games, a sign that its sporting depth is growing.
Still, China's lead is large. It won 86 more golds than Japan and 148 more than India. Rivals are improving, but they have not yet come close.
China's population of more than 1.4 billion gives it a big pool of talent, but that alone does not explain the results. Chinese sports authorities point to early talent spotting, specialized training, strong national competitions and scientific support. They say they even use AI to study divers' movements. China is also strong in sports with many medal events, such as swimming, diving, table tennis and shooting.
The next Asian Games will be in Doha in 2030. With young stars like Yu Zidi and Zhang Zhanshuo emerging, China enters that Games as the favorite again.
