HistoryData
sports2010

2010 Asian Games — 16th edition of the Asian Games

January 1, 2010

The 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games were the largest in the event's history, with 9,704 athletes competing across 476 events from 45 nations.

Quick Facts

Year
2010
Category
sports

Key Facts

Athletes competed
9,704
Sports and disciplines
42
Events held
476
China gold medals (Games record)
199
World records broken
3
Asian records broken
103

By the Numbers

9,704
Athletes competed
42
Sports and disciplines
476
Events held
199
China gold medals (Games record)

Location

Map of Guangzhou, ChinaMap of Guangzhou, ChinaGuangzhou, China

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Guangzhou was selected to host the 16th Asian Games, marking China's second time organizing the event following Beijing 1990. The city and three neighboring municipalities — Dongguan, Foshan, and Shanwei — prepared 53 venues across the region to accommodate the expanded program of 42 sports.

Event

The Games ran from November 12 to 27, 2010, opened by Premier Wen Jiabao on Haixinsha Island along the Pearl River. A record 9,704 athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees competed in 476 events spanning 28 Olympic and 14 non-Olympic sports, making it the largest Asian Games in history to that point.

Consequence

China dominated the medal tally with a record 199 gold medals, becoming the first nation to surpass 400 total medals in a single Asian Games edition. Macau and Bangladesh each won their first-ever Asian Games gold medals, and six non-Olympic sports were contested for the final time before being dropped from the 2014 program.

Result

China (1st, 199 gold medals)
vs
South Korea (2nd), Japan (3rd)

at Haixinsha Island / multiple venues, Guangzhou

China set a Games record of 199 gold medals; 3 world and 103 Asian records broken

Timeline Context

Timeline around 201020102007200820092011201220132010 FIFA World Cup — 19th FIFA World Cup, held in South Africa2010s — decade from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2019Euromaidan — 2013–2014 pro-european protests in UkraineJanuary 2010 — month of 2010European sovereign-debt crisis — multi-year debt crisis in multiple EU countries since late 20092010 Summer Youth Olympics — 2010 edition of the Summer Youth Olympics2010 Formula One World Championship — 64th season of Formula One motor racingRevolution of Dignity — 2014 revolution in Ukraine2010-asian-games-16th-edition-of-the-asian-games-2010