Asian Para Games facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | APG, Para Asiad |
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| 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 |
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| Sports (details) | |
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The Asian Para Games, also called Para Asiad, is a huge sports event for athletes with physical disabilities. It happens every four years, right after the Asian Games. Both events are held in the same city, just like the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Asian Paralympic Committee organizes these games. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officially recognizes them. The Asian Para Games are considered the second-largest multi-sport event after the Paralympic Games. So far, three countries have hosted the games. Forty-four nations have sent athletes to compete.
The most recent games took place in Hangzhou, China. They were held from October 22 to 28, 2023. The next games are planned for Nagoya, Japan. They will be from October 18 to 26, 2026.
Contents
A Brief History of the Games
Before the Asian Para Games, there were the FESPIC Games. Athletes from the Asia Pacific region competed in these games. The first FESPIC Games were held in 1975 in Oita, Japan. Eighteen nations took part in that first event. Eight more FESPIC Games were held until 2006.
The Asian Para Games took over from the FESPIC Games. The FESPIC Federation, which ran the games, was closed down. It joined with the Asian Paralympic Council, which then became the Asian Paralympic Committee. This happened at the end of the last FESPIC Games in November 2006 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The very first Asian Para Games happened in 2010 in Guangzhou, China. This was the first big multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities in Asia.
Even though the idea is to have the Asian Games and Asian Para Games in the same city, the host city contract for the Asian Games doesn't mention the Para Games. This means the two events are run completely separately. They have different organizing committees and no official connection.
Where and When Do the Games Happen?
| 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 | 26 October 2026 | 18 | |||||
| 6 | 2030 or 2031 | Doha |  Qatar |
Future event | ||||||||
| 7 | 2034 or 2035 | Riyadh |  Saudi Arabia |
Future event | ||||||||
Notes:
Who Wins the Most Medals?
| Year | Ranking by Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2010 | China |
Japan |
South Korea |
| 2014 | China |
South Korea |
Japan |
| 2018 | China |
South Korea |
 Iran |
| 2022 | China |
Iran |
Japan |
What Sports are Played?
Over the years, 27 different sports have been part of the Asian Para Games. This includes all games from 2010 to 2022. Some sports are always included, while others might change from one event to the next.
| Number | Event | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2022 | 2026 |
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| Core Sports | ||||||
| 1 | Para Archery at the Asian Para Games |  |
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| 2 | Para Athletics at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 3 | Para Cycling at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 4 | Para Shooting at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 5 | Para Swimming at the Asian Para Games | |
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| Boat Sports | ||||||
| 6 | Para Canoeing at the Asian Para Games | No | No | No | |
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| 7 | Para Rowing at the Asian Para Games | |
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No | |
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| 8 | Para Sailing at the Asian Para Games | No | |
No | No | No |
| Combat Sports | ||||||
| 9 | Fencing at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 10 | Judo at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 11 | Taekwondo at the Asian Para Games | No | No | No | |
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| Team Sports | ||||||
| 12 | Wheelchair Basketball at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 13 | Blind Football at the Asian Para Games | |
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No | |
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| 14 | CP Football at the Asian Para Games | |
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No | No | No |
| 15 | Goalball at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 16 | Wheelchair Rugby at the Asian Para Games | No | |
No | No | |
| 17 | Sitting Volleyball at the Asian Para Games | |
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| Racket Sports | ||||||
| 18 | Para Badminton at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 19 | Wheelchair Tennis at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 20 | Table Tennis at the Asian Para Games | |
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| Bowl Sports | ||||||
| 21 | Boccia at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 22 | Bowling at the Asian Para Games | |
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No | No |
| 23 | Lawn Bowls at the Asian Para Games | No | |
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No |
| Adversary Sports | ||||||
| 24 | Chess at the Asian Para Games | No | No | |
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No |
| 25 | Go at the Asian Para Games | No | No | No | |
No |
| 26 | Powerlifting at the Asian Para Games | |
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| 27 | Wheelchair Dance Sport at the Asian Para Games | No | |
No | No | No |
Meet the Mascots!
The Asian Para Games mascots are special characters. They are often animals or figures from the local culture. These mascots help share the spirit of the games. They also help get younger people excited about the event. Every Asian Para Games has its own unique mascot. Fun Fun, from the 2010 Asian Para Games, was the very first mascot.
| Games | City | Mascot | Character | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Asian Para Games | Guangzhou | Fun Fun | Character inspired by kapok | A flower that grows in Guangzhou. It shows 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 means friendship with people in Asia and worldwide. Dnopi stands for the courage and hope of the athletes. |
| 2018 Asian Para Games | Jakarta | Momo | Brahminy kite | This bird is known as the Bondol eagle locally. Momo is short for "motivation" and "mobility." The mascot wears a traditional Betawinese Belt and represents Jakarta's strength. |
| 2022 Asian Para Games | Hangzhou | Fei Fei | Character inspired by 'Divine Bird' | This mascot shows Hangzhou's history and its love for new technology. A legend says the 'Divine Bird' brings good luck. |
Who Leads in Medals?
There are 45 National Paralympic Committees that have taken part in the games. Out of these, 39 nations have won at least one medal. Six nations are still waiting for their first medal: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Maldives, and Tajikistan.
Thirty-two nations have won at least one gold medal. China is the only country that has won the most medals overall in every Asian Para Games so far.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
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| 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: Future Stars
The Asian Youth Para Games is another big sports event. It happens every four years for young athletes with physical disabilities. The first Games were held in 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. These youth games took over from the FESPIC Youth Games, which last happened in 2003.
Where Do Young Athletes Compete?
| Edition | Year | Host City | Host Nation | Start Date | End Date | Nations | Competitors | Sports | Events | Top Placed Team |
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| 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 | Tashkent | Uzbekistan |
Future event | ||||||
| 6 | 2029 | Phnom Penh |  Cambodia |
Future event | ||||||
Top Teams in Youth Games
| Year | Ranking by Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2009 | Japan |
Iran |
China |
| 2013 | Japan |
Iran |
China |
| 2017 | Japan |
Iran |
China |
| 2021 | Iran |
Thailand |
Japan |
Sports for Young Athletes
Archery (2013 only)
Athletics (Since 2009)
Badminton (since 2009)
Boccia (since 2009)
Bowling (2013 only)
Chess (2013 only)
Goalball (since 2013)
Judo (2013 only)
Powerlifting (since 2013)
Swimming (since 2009)
Table tennis (since 2009)
Taekwondo (2021 only)
Sitting volleyball (2013 only)
Wheelchair tennis (2013 only)
Wheelchair basketball (2013,2021)
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All-time Youth Games medal table (2009–2021)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
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| 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
Images for kids
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Archery
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Athletics
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Badminton
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Boccia
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Bowling
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Chess
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Goalball
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Judo
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Powerlifting
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Swimming
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Table Tennis
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Taekwondo
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Sitting Volleyball
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Wheelchair Tennis
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Wheelchair Basketball
