Korean media: China dominates with gold rush — "Even if the U.S. had participated in the Asian Games, it might not have matched this performance."
On September 25, South Korean outlet NEWSIS published an article noting that China’s pace of gold medal acquisition has been astonishing. At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, China delivered a remarkable display of dominance.
By the end of competition on the 23rd, China had secured 48 gold medals. Just one day later, on the 24th, the tally surged to an unprecedented 80 golds — a gain of 32 medals in a single day.
The milestone was reached largely due to strong performances in events such as women’s team table tennis.
On the 23rd alone, China won 16 golds, finishing with 48 golds, 20 silvers, and 10 bronzes — establishing a commanding lead. Accumulating 48 golds within four days represents a significant achievement.
Yet on the 24th, the pace of gold accumulation accelerated further.
By the conclusion of competition on the 24th, China led the medal table with precisely 80 golds, 30 silvers, and 20 bronzes — totaling 130 medals.
The host nation Japan earned 91 total medals, including 20 golds, 34 silvers, and 37 bronzes. South Korea secured 50 medals overall, comprising 10 golds, 12 silvers, and 28 bronzes.
China’s lead over Japan stood at 60 golds, while the gap with South Korea widened to 70 — a margin so substantial that the term “gold race” now seems almost incongruous.
China claimed 12 golds solely in wushu, surpassing South Korea’s entire medal count of 10 golds across the Games to date.
China’s dominance at the Asian Games is not new. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, China topped the medal table with a decisive advantage, securing 383 medals — including 201 golds, 111 silvers, and 71 bronzes.
The 201 golds set a new record for the highest number of golds won by a single nation in Asian Games history, marking the first time any country had surpassed the 200-gold threshold.
At that time, China competed on home soil, which provided certain advantages.
Yet this time, despite competing as an away team in Japan — Asia’s second-largest sporting power — China demonstrated unmatched superiority, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a national championship event.
Online forums around the world are now filled with commentary such as: “Winning 70 to 80 golds in five days feels excessive,” “Even if the U.S. had entered the Asian Games, it might not achieve such overwhelming dominance,” and “Japan and South Korea would be satisfied just to win silver or bronze.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877267755057161/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.