Curtains fall on 'One of Best Ever'

GUANGZHOU – In the glare of tens of thousands of fireworks, athletes from 45 countries hugged each other and partied into the night as China’s third largest city on the southern border waved goodbye last night in another great chapter of the Asian Games.

The host city regaled the crowd of over 30,000 in a night of dances and songs. Plumes of red smoke rose from the tall and slender Guangzhou Tower and thousands of fireworks in red, green, silver and golden colors danced in city’s skies in the countdown to the final curtain in the event Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah referred to as “one of the best ever.”

As the host city turned over the flag to next host Incheon, Korea a boy floated on a palm leaf above and looked with emotion to the Torch Tower, and the audience watched, amid the strains of a farewell song, as the holy fire died out into the night.

Guangzhou and China fulfilled their two missions: to be a gracious host to a record over 14,000 athletes from 44 countries and beat them in the Asian Games.

Guangzhou completed the repair of the 70 venues and the construction of new state-of-the-art gymnasiums that are a source of architectural marvel well in time for the start of the Games.

Asian Games medalists Rey Saludar (gold, center), Annie Albania (silver, left) and Victorio Saludar (bronze) show their medals upon arrival at the NAIA from Guangzhou. RUDY SANTOS

It constructed a 329,000 square meter Athletes Village that includes 49 huge apartment buildings and 3,598 apartments and over 9,000 rooms. It treated athletes and officials to free laundry with 18 collecting points. Its dining hall seats 3,892 persons attended to by 3,000 personnel – one for every athlete – and offers East Asian, Southeast Asian, Chinese, European and Muslin food 24 hours a day.

It had mobilized 590,000 smiling volunteers all over the AG Town and on every major street in Guangzhou to assist athletes, media and tourists.

Its Chinese spectators were taught not to spit in public places and refrain from clapping in the middle of a competition.

It honored the independence of referees picked by international federations to ensure every winner got the medal fair and square.

After all the preparations that pleased every nation and its athletes, Guanzhou proceeded to beat them all.

It finished with a record 198 of the 476 gold medals at stake, its last medal coming from its woman marathoner. It broke the medal output of 183 in the Beijing Asian Games 20 years ago right after a Chinese punished Annie Albania into submission in boxing and collected its last gold with the last event – the women’s marathon.

Park Taehwan of Korea and Tang Yi of China emerged as the top male and female performers. Park pocketed three gold medals, two silvers and one bronze, the most by a single athlete.

Tang’s four gold medals and two silvers were the best in the women’s side.

Seven countries have improved on their medals standings from the 2006 Games. Aside from China the seven others were Malaysia, Jordan, Macau, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong.

The Philippines slipped from four to three golds and placed 19th. Its gold medal output was the third worst since 1951 with its participation in 1966 (2), 1970 (1), 1982 (2), 1990 (1) and 1998 (1).