India achieved a record-breaking campaign at the Hangzhou Asian Games, winning their 100th medal and surpassing their previous best tally of 70 medals. They now have a total of 106 medals, including golds in compound archery, hockey, badminton, athletics, and shooting. Surprise wins in equestrian, sailing, and rowing, along with expected successes in shooting and athletics, contributed to India's remarkable performance.
Taiwanese roller skater Huang Yu Lin snatched the gold medal from the South Korean team in a dramatic upset at the Asian Games. The victory was attributed to the premature celebration of South Korean skater Jung Cheol Won, who spread out his arms just before the finish line. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Huang Yu Lin extended his left foot and secured the win for Taiwan. The South Korean team, who won silver, missed out on a special military service exemption that is granted only to gold medalists at the Asian Games.
India won the gold medal in their Asian Games cricket debut by defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the women's final. Batting first, India scored 116-7 with contributions from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. Sri Lanka struggled in their chase and were reduced to 14-3 early on. Despite a valiant effort from Hasini Perera, Sri Lanka fell behind the required run rate and could only manage 97-8 in their 20 overs. India's Titas Sadhu took three wickets for six runs. Bangladesh won the bronze medal by defeating Pakistan.
Three Indian martial arts athletes from the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as its own territory, were prevented from traveling to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, due to a visa dispute. India accused China of denying them proper accreditation, while China denied this and stated that all athletes with legal documents are welcome. The athletes were reportedly left behind after their documents could not be downloaded, while the rest of the Indian delegation did not face any issues. This is not the first time such a dispute has occurred, as China has previously given stapled visas to athletes from Arunachal Pradesh, indicating its rejection of India's territorial claim. The ongoing border dispute between India and China over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) adds to the tensions.
The Asian Games, China's biggest sporting event in over a decade, is set to kick off in Hangzhou, but nationwide excitement is low due to a struggling economy and concerns over the cost of the event. Some locals believe the money spent on stadiums and facilities could have been better used for the common people and youth. Despite the subdued tone, analysts expect the games to go smoothly given China's meticulous preparations. The expected success of Chinese athletes may boost public morale. Hangzhou has undergone a massive transformation in preparation for the games, but many people feel indifferent towards the event, with some saying "people just don't care."
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has arrived in China for his first visit since 2004, seeking to end years of diplomatic isolation amid Western sanctions. Assad's presence at the Asian Games and his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping will add legitimacy to Syria's efforts to return to the world stage. China, along with Russia and Iran, has maintained ties with Syria despite international condemnation of Assad's government. China's strategic interest in Syria, particularly its location between key oil-producing countries and economic corridors, makes it an important partner. However, analysts doubt that Chinese firms will invest in Syria due to security concerns and the country's dire financial situation.
GUNNIR has launched a special edition of their Arc A750 Photon GPUs for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. As the official partner and designated supplier of graphics cards for the event, GUNNIR will provide GPUs exclusively for the e-sports segment of the games. The special edition GPUs feature a new color palette and distinctive graphics on the backplates, with one model tailored to the Valorant game and another paying homage to the visual identity of the Asian Games. The systems prepared for players will include Intel Core i9-13900K processors, B760 motherboards, and 32GB of DDR5 memory. The Asian Games will take place from September 23 to October 8, with Intel expected to provide updates on desktop CPUs and GPUs at their Innovation event just days before the games begin.
