The Chinese sports delegation secured 169 gold medals, 89 silver medals, and 83 bronze medals for a total of 341 medals at the conclusion of the Nagoya Asian Games. Behind the top spot on the medal table, however, the Games left behind a series of disputes involving judo athlete Tang Jing and table tennis coach Wang Hao, alongside missed opportunities for pole vaulter Niu Changge, sprinter Ge Manqi, and tennis player Wu Yibing, while swimmer Zhang Zhanshuo emerged with seven gold medals.
Judo Disqualification Draws Sharp Division
The women’s judo tournament at the Nagoya Asian Games drew intense scrutiny when 31-year-old Tang Jing received a red card during a tightly contested bout against Japanese competitor Rin Maeda. The referee halted the match and disqualified Tang, citing a severe breach of sportsmanship after Japanese media published photographs showing a bite mark on Maeda’s forearm. The International Judo Federation (IJF) statement made no mention of biting or tooth marks, citing only a violation of specific competition rules. The ruling sparked polarized reactions, with some viewers pointing to video evidence of contact during close grappling, while others argued the move was an involuntary reaction amid high-intensity physical exertion.
Table Tennis Coaching Under Scrutiny After Team Defeat
China’s table tennis men’s team lost 3-2 to host nation Japan in the final, ending a 36-year gold medal streak in the event. Following the defeat, head coach Wang Hao faced heavy criticism on social media over his lineup decisions, including the choice of Wen Ruibo for the fifth deciding match and the management of Wang Chuchin’s playing workload. Commentators noted that the team selection involved extensive coaching staff deliberation rather than a solitary choice, while Japan’s rising competitiveness and home-court advantage also contributed to the outcome.
Strict Pole Vault Rules Deny Niu Changge a Tied Height
Pole vaulter Niu Changge settled for a silver medal after finishing behind a Japanese competitor who cleared 4.55 meters. Niu’s previous three attempts stopped at 4.55 meters, and when she requested to lower the bar back to 4.55 meters to attempt to tie, competition officials rejected the request under World Athletics competition rules stating that a declared height cannot be lowered once confirmed. Niu subsequently missed three attempts at 4.60 meters.
Injury Sidelines Defending Champion Ge Manqi
Sprinter Ge Manqi suffered a left thigh muscle injury during the women’s 100-meter preliminary heats. The 29-year-old defending champion from the previous Incheon Asian Games felt a sharp pain shortly after the start and was later removed from the track by medical staff in a wheelchair. Ge later posted a video update confirming a muscle strain.
Illness Hinders Wu Yibing in Men’s Singles Final
Tennis player Wu Yibing reached the men’s singles final despite battling a severe cold that caused throat pain and breathing difficulties midway through the tournament. Wu lost the final to Hong Kong’s Wong Chak-lam 2-6, 4-6, claiming his third Asian Games silver medal. In his post-match remarks, Wu praised his opponent’s performance without mentioning his illness.
Zhang Zhanshuo Secures Seven Gold Medals in Swimming
Nineteen-year-old swimmer Zhang Zhanshuo won seven gold medals across eight events at the Nagoya Asian Games, equaling a 44-year-old record for gold medals won by a single athlete at a single edition. Zhang set an Asian record of 1:43.28 in the 200-meter freestyle and swam the anchor leg of the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay, overcoming a 2.97-second deficit to win by 0.32 seconds.
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