Asian Para Games facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | Para-Asiad |
|---|---|
| First event | 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China |
| Occur every | Four years |
| Last event | 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China |
| Purpose | Multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities from nations in Asia |
| Asian Para Games |
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The Asian Para Games, also known as Para Asiad, is a big sports event for athletes with physical disabilities. It is held every four years in Asia, right after the Asian Games. The Asian Paralympic Committee organizes these games.
The idea is to have both the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games in the same city, just like the Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, the Asian Para Games are not officially part of the Asian Games host city contract. This means they can be organized separately. The International Paralympic Committee recognizes these games as the second largest multi-sport event after the Paralympic Games.
So far, three countries have hosted the Asian Para Games. Athletes from forty-four different countries have taken part.
The most recent games were held in Hangzhou, China, from October 22 to 28, 2023. The next games are planned for Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24, 2026.
Contents
History of the Games
Before the Asian Para Games, there were the FESPIC Games. These games were for athletes with disabilities from the Asia Pacific region. The first FESPIC Games took place in 1975 in Oita, Japan. Eight more FESPIC Games were held until 2006.
The Asian Para Games took over from the FESPIC Games. The organization that ran the FESPIC Games joined with the Asian Paralympic Council. This new group became the Asian Paralympic Committee in November 2006. The very first Asian Para Games were held in 2010 in Guangzhou, China.
Even though it's a good idea to hold the Asian Games and Asian Para Games in the same city, like the Olympics and Paralympics, there's no rule for it yet. This means the two events can be held in different cities and organized by different groups.
Host Cities and Years
Here is a list of the Asian Para Games held so far and those planned for the future:
| Edition | Year | Host City | Host Nation | Opened by | Start Date | End Date | Nations | Competitors | Sports | Events | Top Placed Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 | Guangzhou |  China |
Vice Premier Li Keqiang | 12 December | 19 December | 41 | 2,405 | 19 | 341 | China (CHN) |
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| 2 | 2014 | Incheon |  South Korea |
Prime Minister Chung Hong-won | 18 October | 24 October | 41 | 2,497 | 23 | 443 | ||
| 3 | 2018 | Jakarta |  Indonesia |
President Joko Widodo | 6 October | 13 October | 43 | 2,757 | 18 | 506 | ||
| 4 | 2022 | Hangzhou | China |
Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang | 22 October 2023 | 28 October 2023 | 44 | 3,100 | 22 | 501 | ||
| 5 | 2026 | Aichi-Nagoya |  Japan |
TBA | 18 October 2026 | 24 October 2026 | 18 | |||||
| 6 | 2030 or 2031 | Doha |  Qatar |
Future event | ||||||||
| 7 | 2034 or 2035 | Riyadh |  Saudi Arabia |
Future event | ||||||||
Top Countries by Medals
This table shows which countries won the most medals in each Asian Para Games:
| Year | Ranking by Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| 2010 | China |
Japan |
South Korea |
| 2014 | China |
South Korea |
Japan |
| 2018 | China |
South Korea |
 Iran |
| 2022 | China |
Iran |
Japan |
Sports at the Games
Over the years, 27 different sports have been part of the Asian Para Games. This includes games from 2010 up to 2022.
| Number | Event | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2022 | 2026 |
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| Core Sports | ||||||
| 1 | Para Archery |  |
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| 2 | Para Athletics | |
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| 3 | Para Cycling | |
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| 4 | Para Shooting | |
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| 5 | Para Swimming | |
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| Boat Sports | ||||||
| 6 | Para Canoeing | No | No | No | |
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| 7 | Para Rowing | |
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No | |
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| 8 | Para Sailing | No | |
No | No | No |
| Combat Sports | ||||||
| 9 | Wheelchair Fencing | |
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| 10 | Blind Judo | |
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| 11 | Para Taekwondo | No | No | No | |
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| Team Sports | ||||||
| 12 | Wheelchair Basketball | |
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| 13 | Blind Football | |
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No | |
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| 14 | CP Football | |
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No | No | No |
| 15 | Goalball | |
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| 16 | Wheelchair Rugby | No | |
No | No | |
| 17 | Sitting Volleyball | |
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| Racket Sports | ||||||
| 18 | Para Badminton | |
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| 19 | Wheelchair Tennis | |
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| 20 | Para Table Tennis | |
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| Bowl Sports | ||||||
| 21 | Boccia | |
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| 22 | Ten Pin Para Bowling | |
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No | No |
| 23 | Para Lawn Bowls | No | |
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No |
| Adversary Sports | ||||||
| 24 | Blind Chess | No | No | |
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No |
| 25 | Go | No | No | No | |
No |
| 26 | Powerlifting | |
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| 27 | Wheelchair Dance Sport | No | |
No | No | No |
Mascots
Mascots for the Asian Para Games are special characters, often animals or human-like figures. They represent the culture and spirit of the host city. These mascots help make the games fun and exciting, especially for younger audiences. Every Asian Para Games has its own unique mascot. Fun Fun, from the 2010 Games, was the very first mascot.
| Games | City | Mascot | Character | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Asian Para Games | Guangzhou | Fun Fun | Character inspired by kapok | A flower native to Guangzhou, showing the strength, joy, and energy of the athletes and the Para movement. |
| 2014 Asian Para Games | Incheon | Jeonopi and Dnopi | Black-faced spoonbill | Chosen to show the games' focus on protecting the environment. Jeonopi stands for friendship, and Dnopi for courage and hope. |
| 2018 Asian Para Games | Jakarta | Momo | Brahminy kite | This bird is known as Bondol eagle locally. Momo means motivation and mobility. The mascot wears traditional Jakarta clothing and represents the city's strength. |
| 2022 Asian Para Games | Hangzhou | Fei Fei | Character inspired by 'Divine Bird' | This mascot represents Hangzhou's history and its focus on new technology. A legend says the 'Divine Bird' brings good luck. |
| 2026 Asian Para Games | Nagoya | Uzumin | Shachihoko | Uzumin shows the hope that athletes' passion will come together like a "whirlwind" in Aichi-Nagoya, spreading excitement across Asia. |
Overall Medal Table
Out of the 45 countries that have taken part in the Asian Para Games, 39 have won at least one medal. Six countries are still waiting for their first medal: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Maldives, and Tajikistan. China is the only country to have won the most medals overall in every Asian Para Games so far.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China (CHN) |
745 | 468 | 335 | 1,548 |
| 2 | South Korea (KOR) |
182 | 183 | 197 | 562 |
| 3 | Iran (IRI) |
159 | 165 | 143 | 467 |
| 4 | Japan (JPN) |
157 | 207 | 230 | 594 |
| 5 |  Thailand (THA) |
91 | 132 | 191 | 414 |
| 6 |  Uzbekistan (UZB) |
81 | 55 | 55 | 191 |
| 7 | Indonesia (INA) |
76 | 93 | 110 | 279 |
| 8 |  India (IND) |
48 | 73 | 109 | 230 |
| 9 |  Malaysia (MAS) |
48 | 69 | 89 | 206 |
| 10 |  Hong Kong (HKG) |
34 | 55 | 78 | 167 |
| Totals (10 entries) | 1,621 | 1,500 | 1,537 | 4,658 | |
Asian Youth Para Games
The Asian Youth Para Games is another multi-sport event, held every four years for young athletes with physical disabilities. The first games were held in 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. These games replaced the FESPIC Youth Games, which last took place in 2003.
List of Youth Games
Here are the Asian Youth Para Games that have been held and those planned for the future:
| Edition | Year | Host City | Host Nation | Start Date | End Date | Nations | Competitors | Sports | Events | Top Placed Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009 | Tokyo | Japan |
10 September | 13 September | 24 | 466 | 5 | 219 | Japan (JPN) |
| 2 | 2013 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia |
26 October | 30 October | 29 | 723 | 14 | 235 | |
| 3 | 2017 | Dubai |  United Arab Emirates |
10 December | 14 December | 30 | 800 | 7 | 252 | |
| 4 | 2021 | Manama |  Bahrain |
2 December | 6 December | 30 | 750 | 9 | 198 | Iran (IRI) |
| 5 | 2025 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates |
7 December | 14 December | Future event | 11 | Future event | ||
| 6 | 2029 | Phnom Penh |  Cambodia |
Future event | ||||||
Top Countries in Youth Games
This table shows which countries won the most medals in each Asian Youth Para Games:
| Year | Ranking by Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
| 2009 | Japan |
Iran |
China |
| 2013 | Japan |
Iran |
China |
| 2017 | Japan |
Iran |
China |
| 2021 | Iran |
Thailand |
Japan |
Youth Games Sports
Archery (2013, 2025)
Arm wrestling (2025 only)
Athletics (Since 2009)
Badminton (since 2009)
Boccia (since 2009)
Bowling (2013 only)
Chess (2013 only)
Cycling
Goalball (since 2013)
Judo (2013)
Paracanoe
Powerlifting (since 2013, 2025)
Rowing
Swimming (since 2009)
Table tennis (since 2009)
Taekwondo (since 2021)
Sitting volleyball (2013 only)
Wheelchair tennis (2013 only)
Wheelchair basketball (2013, 2021, 2025)
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All-time Youth Games Medal Table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan (JPN) |
177 | 86 | 87 | 350 |
| 2 | Iran (IRI) |
136 | 134 | 97 | 367 |
| 3 | Thailand (THA) |
81 | 67 | 48 | 196 |
| 4 | China (CHN) |
75 | 22 | 10 | 107 |
| 5 | South Korea (KOR) |
52 | 36 | 45 | 133 |
| 6 | Hong Kong (HKG) |
49 | 39 | 30 | 118 |
| 7 |  Iraq (IRQ) |
46 | 35 | 29 | 110 |
| 8 | Uzbekistan (UZB) |
41 | 14 | 9 | 64 |
| 9 | Indonesia (INA) |
36 | 23 | 23 | 82 |
| 10 | Malaysia (MAS) |
32 | 34 | 35 | 101 |
| 11 | India (IND) |
29 | 30 | 26 | 85 |
| 12 |  Kazakhstan (KAZ) |
25 | 32 | 18 | 75 |
| 13 |  Vietnam (VIE) |
19 | 9 | 5 | 33 |
| 14 |  Chinese Taipei (TPE) |
16 | 11 | 6 | 33 |
| 15 | United Arab Emirates (UAE) |
15 | 12 | 5 | 32 |
| 16 |  Jordan (JOR) |
15 | 7 | 6 | 28 |
| 17 |  Singapore (SIN) |
13 | 14 | 7 | 34 |
| 18 | Saudi Arabia (KSA) |
13 | 9 | 25 | 47 |
| 19 |  Kuwait (KUW) |
8 | 12 | 4 | 24 |
| 20 |  Sri Lanka (SRI) |
6 | 8 | 4 | 18 |
| 21 | Bahrain (BHR) |
4 | 10 | 5 | 19 |
| 22 |  Pakistan (PAK) |
4 | 2 | 8 | 14 |
| 23 |  Myanmar (MYA) |
3 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
| 24 |  Philippines (PHI) |
2 | 7 | 8 | 17 |
| 25 |  Palestine (PLE) |
2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 26 |  Oman (OMA) |
1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 27 |  Nepal (NEP) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Syria (SYR) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 29 |  Brunei (BRU) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 |  North Korea (PRK) |
0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 31 |  Lebanon (LIB) |
0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 32 |  Macau (MAC) |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 33 | Cambodia (CAM) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Mongolia (MGL) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 35 |  Tajikistan (TJK) |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 36 |  Yemen (YEM) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 |  Afghanistan (AFG) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Bangladesh (BAN) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
 Bhutan (BHU) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
 East Timor (TLS) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
 Laos (LAO) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
 Maldives (MDV) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Qatar (QAT) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
 Turkmenistan (TKM) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals (45 entries) | 903 | 673 | 554 | 2,130 | |
See also
- Asian Games
- Paralympic Games
- African Para Games
- European Para Championships
- Parapan American Games
