AICHI-NAGOYA, October 4. /Dunyo IA/. The 20^th Asian Games, which featured over 11,000 athletes from 45 countries, have concluded in Japan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Delegation of Uzbekistan at the continent's largest sports event comprised 396 athletes who defended the honour of the nation across 42 sports disciplines. As anticipated, the national athletes delivered a worthy performance, securing 5^th place in the overall team standings with a total of 70 medals.

Aichi-Nagoya 2026 served as a crucial milestone for the athletes of Uzbekistan on their path of preparation for the “Los Angeles 2028” Olympic Games. The significance of the competition was further elevated as several sports disciplines offered direct qualification slots for the Olympics. The national representatives captured 21 gold, 25 silver and 24 bronze medals over the course of the Games.

In the medal standings, China secured the first place with 169 gold, 89 silver, and 83 bronze medals. The host nation, Japan, finished second with 83 gold, 95 silver and 91 bronze medals, followed by South Korea in third place with 39 gold, 43 silver, and 68 bronze medals. India occupied the fourth position with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals.

Iran followed immediately after Uzbekistan, with Iranian athletes claiming the 6^th position by securing 19 gold, 18 silver, and 15 bronze medals.

Uzbekistan had previously secured the 5th place in the overall team standings at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou in 2023. On that occasion, the national athletes captured 22 gold, 18 silver and 31 bronze medals, totalling 71 medals.

Thus, while Uzbekistan recorded one fewer gold medal this time, it maintained its 5^th position with a total performance of 70 medals. The 71 medals achieved in 2023 remain the nation's best performance at the Asian Games to date.