Thirteen athletes from Hebei province contributed 11 gold medals, five silvers, and one bronze to the Chinese sports delegation at the 20th Asian Games, which closed in Nagoya, Japan, according to local reports. Competing across 10 major sports and 22 minor events, the provincial contingent achieved historic breakthroughs in multiple disciplines, reflecting sustained athletic development.
Yu Zidi Earns MVP Honors and Breaks Records
Thirteen-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi was named the Most Valuable Female Athlete of the Games by the Olympic Council of Asia following a standout performance in the pool. Yu clocked 2 minutes, 06.10 seconds in the women’s 200-meter individual medley to break the Asian record, finishing 0.4 seconds outside the world record. She also broke meet records in the 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley. Reflecting on her performance, Yu noted that the results reward her training but emphasized that this serves as a starting point rather than a final destination.
Li Bingjie Dominates Distance Freestyle Events
Competing in her third Asian Games, swimmer Li Bingjie captured five gold medals with a commanding performance. Li successfully defended her titles in the women’s 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1500-meter freestyle individual events while also swimming legs for two victorious Chinese freestyle relay teams. Li stated that while she aimed for victories in prior editions, entering this meet required her to secure and solidify her position at the top.
Sun Yingsha, Huang Anqi, and Sun Sibei Secure Historic Medals
Sun Yingsha competed in three events—the women’s team, mixed doubles, and women’s singles—collecting one gold and two silvers. In triathlon, Huang Anqi and Li Mingxu helped China win its first-ever mixed relay gold medal at the Asian Games, breaking Japan’s long-standing dominance in the event and earning China’s first gold in the discipline since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. In freestyle BMX, Sun Sibei captured the women’s park gold medal, marking a historic first for the event at the Asian Games. Sun Sibei remarked that the medal carries special significance for Hebei and expressed a desire to take steady steps toward future competition.
Milestones in Field, Archery, and Judo Events
Hebei athletes also recorded notable firsts and personal bests in track and field, archery, and judo. Zhang Linru captured a silver medal in her Asian Games debut in the women’s shot put. Wang Yue contributed to a silver medal for the Chinese archery team in the women’s compound team event, achieving a first-ever Asian Games medal for China in the discipline. Meanwhile, Xue Ziyang secured a bronze medal to record Hebei’s best individual finish in judo at the Asian Games.
Transition to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Cycle
Following the conclusion of the Nagoya Asian Games, the Hebei athletic delegation transitions its focus to preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
