India finish with record 107 medals as Asiad 2023 ends with glittering ceremony

Veteran India hockey goalkeeper and flag-bearer PR Sreejesh leads the Indian contingent during the closing ceremony yesterday. Pic/PTI

Given how Team India finished the Asian Games here with medals galore - 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze, totalling a record 107 - their athletes would have wished these Games continued for a couple of more weeks.

However, at a glittering closing ceremony, once again enhanced by digital brilliance just like the spectacular opening gala a fortnight back, the curtains came down on the 19th edition of the continental sporting spectacle at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium here on Sunday.

In the backdrop of a colourful and illuminated display, street dancers performed as different artistic floats were paraded with the three mascot robots Chenchen, Congcong, and Lianlian, on board. The focus of the night was the athletes and the volunteers without whom this massive event would be impossible.

India's gold medal-winning veteran hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh proudly held the flag at the athletes march, where he led out the contingent that finished an impressive fourth in the overall medals tally, behind China (383 medals, including 201 gold, 111 silver and 71 bronze) Japan (188 - 52, 67, 69) and Korea (190 - 42, 59, 89).

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The optimum use of technology was once again impressive with a unique digital turf - a large mesh with over 40,000 illuminated spots immaculately woven in, converting the field into a giant colour palette, where creative imagery was on full display.

Finally, the giant virtual torchbearer, who enthralled one and all at the opening ceremony, returned as the flame was extinguished moments after the Olympic Council of Asia flag and torch were entrusted to Hideaki Ohmura and Hideo Nakata, representatives of Japan's Aichi and Nagoya, the host cities of the 20th edition to be held in 2026.