"The V Asian Games that are taking place in Turkmenistan exceeded all our ideas and expectations," representatives of the partner organizations of Turkmenistan in working-up to the Fifth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games "Ashgabat-2017" declared at the meeting with journalists in Ashgabat.

As it was mentioned, Olympic Council of Asia participated in preparation of the “Asiada-2017” Olympic Games, and that's really unique games that demonstrated the correct decisions when carrying out similar games. Confidence was expressed that these achievements will contribute to the lives of the entire population of the country. 

"I was participant of ten Olympic Games, and took part   in organizing of nine Asian Games, and  for the first time we have seen how games are directly going on under direct leadership of the President of Turkmenistan. We also found that the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is not only a sports lover but also is aware of the main aspects of management in this sector, and provides his suggestions," – mentioned Wei Jizhong, Honorary Vice-President of the Olypmic Committee of Asia (OCA), expressing gratitude to President of Turkmenistan for his success. By the way, it was just at the proposal of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov that horse riding (show-jumping competition) and Turkmen national wrestling “goresh” were included in the program of V Asian games. Wei Jizhong also informed that all pending issues have been resolved at the next meeting of delegations' heads, no further problems have arisen, and all missions and delegations were satisfied with the organization and conducting of the Games.  

OCA Vice President called given games distinctive also from another point of view: according to him, everything involved in the games, such as the Olympic village for athletes and media, as well as other objects are located conveniently, and it is easy to reach any object with the monorail and shuttle buses.

“"I have been initially involved in this process of planning of the Olympic complex, and I can confidently say that this project is a high profile sports event of the world level, and Turkmenistan can organize the Olympic Games in their country, which has been originally our goal," OCA honorary lifelong vice-president Wei Jizhong said.

According to Gene Tomlin, Executive Director of the British company “Trivandi Chanzo Limited”, Turkmenistan collaborate in working-up to the V Asian Games, totally over 400 specialists from different areas and countries have been involved in these works. She said that the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan rendered fantastic support, indeed, thanks to which also volunteer students were involved. In total, more than 8000 volunteers were involved during the Asiada, 31% from which were women. On Tomlin’s opinion, it should be considered serious rate and prominent achievement.  

"The most important thing we leave is the so-called "women's heritage", which will have a major impact on development of Turkmenistan", she said, expressing hope that all this experience and knowledge will be used in Turkmenistan and in the future, and similar global regional and world events will be organized there in future.

Azat Muradov, Head of the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan, in his turn, noted that the whole Turkmen people are proud of their athletes who have become heroes of Turkmenistan. “We achieved what we were striving to. These Games will serve as an example for our citizens, and will become a good stimulus for sports development in the country. And all this has been possible to achieve thanks to our President," Muradov said.  

And really, at the end of the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games the national team of Turkmenistan has become an unprecedented leader in total medal classification, receiving a total of 245 medals, including 89 gold, 70 silver and 86 bronze.

In General, gold medals were awarded to athletes from: Turkmenistan-89, China-40, Iran-35, Kazakhstan-28, Uzbekistan-24, Thailand-21, and Korea-15.

As for the table of awards, it looks as follows:

                                                                                                                     Total

Turkmenistan - 89 (Gold),       70 (Silver),          86 (Bronze),                   245

China   -        40 (Gold),       30 (Silver),                23 (Bronze),                     93

Iran -         35 (Gold),       22 (Silver),                    59  (Bronze),                116

Kazakhstan - 28 (Gold),        28 (Silver),                38  (Bronze),                  94

Uzbekistan - 24 (Gold),      33 (Silver),                  73  (Bronze),                 130

Thailand -     21 (Gold),       20 (Silver),                 29  (Bronze),                   70

Korea -         15 (Gold),       11 (Silver),                  15  (Bronze),                   41

In the course of competitions in Ashgabat, first Central Asian city that became capital of the Asian Games, new records were committed:

- Iranian weight-lifter, Sohrab Moradi, Olympic champion at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, beated the world record, which has kept for 18 years. Sportsman, acting in the weight category up to 94 kilograms, lifted the sum of the two attempts 413 kg – 185 in the snatch and then 228 in the clean and jerk;

- Result of the women's swim team from Hong Kong became the best for all the years of Asian games holding. Medley relay 4x50 meters they swam for 1:48, beating the representatives of China and Thailand;

- Olga Rypakova,Kazakhstan became the best in Indoor athletics arena, winning six gold medals over three days of competition;

- In the famous Equestrian Centre, the Qatari rider, Hamad Ali Al Attiyah, won a gold medal in show jumping in the individual discharge. Saudi Arabia won the team gold, and Turkmen rider Nikolay Beglaryan became the winner of the tournament for the Ahal-Teke Cup among the local breeds of horses;  

- for the first time within trhe framework of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, a tournament in eSports as a demonstrational discipline took place;

 -  the largest number of medals of the "Ashgabat 2017" Games belongs to  Chinese swimmer Sun Meichen: he won four gold and three silver awards;

- Turkmen athlete Seýdi Batyrov won six gold medals at once, four in the belt wrestling and two in the national wrestling.

 At the ceremony of awarding of the national team sportsmen and coaches, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted the contribution of athletes, coaches and volunteers. President, particularly, said: “I would like to mention with special proud that representatives of the national team performed at the Asian games with a triumph: theu won 89 gold, 70 silver, and 86 bronze – a total of 245 medals, showing to the world a rapid development of sport in the independent Turkmenistan. Current Games entered into a number of historical events of special significance both for our country, confidently advancing along the path of peace, creation and progress, and for the international community. Competitions revealed the enormous athletic potential of the country. Victories of our sportsmen brought the V Asian Games to a higher level”.

The closing ceremony of the "Ashgabat 2017" Games was held under the supervision of Simone Ferrari, Creative Director of the Balich Worldwide Shows Company. According to him, "the ceremony became a final point of all the exciting and challenging days of competitions, which have been attended by tens of thousands of spectators, and of the incredible efforts of thousands of volunteers, the first stars, who demonstrated friendliness and warmth of Turkmenistan to all guests of the Games. Ferrari mentioned that closing ceremony was devoted to volunteers – “Games’ first stars”, as it would be impossible to imagine such a successful staging of the Ashgabat-2017 Games without their dedicated and successful work. "I am hopeful that they will go away happy with a sense of pride, creating a portrait of Turkmenistan, which is not in the books, and they will be able to know themselves and their place in the history of the people," Ferrari said. 

Let’s remind that “Ashgabat 2017” V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games was taking place September in the city of Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan. About 6,000 sportsmen from 45 countries of the Asian region and 19 countries of Australia and Oceania, as well as a team of African refugees that performed under the flag of the Olympic Council of Asia, participated in the Games. The number of delegations in Ashgabat beat all records of the Asian Games. In the framework of the Olympic Games, competitions in 21 sports were held. The first such Game took place in 2005 in Bangkok (Thailand), the second – in 2007 in Macau, the third – in 2009 in Vietnam. Since the IV Asian Indoor Games, it has become held every four years and with addition of martial arts into the program of competitions. The fourth Asian Games took place in 2013 in the Korean city of Incheon. Japan and Indonesia are in the number of next hosts of the Asian Games. 

 

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