How these Asian athletes clinched gold medals at the Olympics

Panipak Wongpattanakit from Thailand continued her reign as the queen of taekwondo. After capturing her first Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020, the taekwondo legend successfully defended her title in Paris, becoming a two-time Olympic champion. Her journey from Thailand’s taekwondo prodigy to an Olympic legend has inspired countless young athletes in her home country and solidified her status as one of the sport’s all-time greats. 

To add to Wongpattanakit’s gold, Thailand’s top athletes at the Olympics also took home three silver and two bronze medals.

Read more: 19 Asian women in sport to know

China once again demonstrated its power in diving, sweeping all eight gold medals in the sport, a feat never before seen since the event expanded to eight categories in 2000. At the forefront of this achievement is Cao Yuan, who gave China the unprecedented sweep. At the 2016 and 2020 Games, China has been claiming golds at the diving events except for one—the 10-metre platform. Cao’s triumph in Paris helped China achieve a historic sweep of all eight diving golds, marking a milestone in Olympic history. 

Read more: Seven Olympian strategies for staying strong and winning against the odds

In weightlifting, Li Fabin and Hou Zhihui also added to China’s gold medal count with remarkable performances. Li Fabin won gold with his record-breaking performance in the men’s 61-kilogramme weightlifting category, lifting a total of 310 kilogrammes, which included a new Olympic snatch record of 143 kilogrammes. Hou Zhihui, in the women's 49kg division, showcased her strength by setting a new Olympic record with a total lift of 206 kilogrammes. 

China leads the medal tally of all Asian countries at the Paris Olympics with 91 medals—40 golds, 27 silvers, and 24 bronzes.

Japanese wrestling prodigy Fujinami Akari made headlines with her gold medal win in the women’s freestyle 53 kilogramme wrestling event. At just 20 years old, Fujinami extended her unbeaten run to an astonishing 137 bouts, dominating her opponents with a 10-0 victory in the final against Ecuador’s Lucía Yépez. Her Olympic debut performance just showed she is a force to be reckoned with in the wrestling world.

Read more: Female athletes at Paris 2024 show how far we've come—but also highlight how far we still have to go

Japan also demonstrated its ability to embrace and excel in sports—even in the new ones. The inaugural event in breaking named its first-ever gold medallist, Japan’s Yuasa Ami. Yuasa’s powerful moves, including air flares and halos, dazzled both the audience and judges as she defeated Lithuania’s B-Girl Nicka with a 3-0 victory.

In the Asian medal tally rankings, Japan is Top 2 with 45 medals, of which 20 are gold, 12 are silver and 13 are bronze.

Hong Kong is evidently conquering in the piste with both of its gold medallists dominating fencing. Edgar Cheung Ka-long successfully defended his title in the men's individual foil event, becoming the first Hong Kong athlete to win gold in consecutive Olympics. His final against Italy’s Filippo Macchi was a tense match, with Cheung emerging victorious by a single point, 15-14. 

Read more: 7 facts about Edgar Cheung Ka-long, Hong Kong Olympic fencing champion

Vivian Kong, on the other hand, made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning the gold medal in the women's individual épée event—a feat that was almost impossible. In the final match against local favourite Auriane Mallo-Breton of France, Kong found herself trailing 7-1 early on. However, she remained calm and composed, mounting a stunning comeback to tie the score at 10-10 and force a sudden death fence-off. Kong struck first to seal a dramatic 13-12 victory.

Read more: Meet Vivian Kong, Hong Kong’s fencing queen who ranks top in the world

On top of the back-to-back gold medals, Hong Kong also took home two bronze medals.

When it comes to duos, Taiwan’s Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin have mastered the art of teamwork. They continued their dominance in men's doubles badminton, successfully defending their Olympic title by defeating China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in a thrilling match with scores of 21-17, 18-21, 21-19. The final was a nail-biter, with the crowd passionately chanting “Taiwan” in support of the duo.

Adding to Taiwan's golden tally was Lin Yu-ting, who claimed victory in the women’s featherweight boxing division. Lin’s unanimous decision win against Poland’s Julia Szeremeta marked Taiwan’s first Olympic boxing medal.

The Paris 2024 Olympics saw Asian athletes rise to the occasion and deliver unforgettable performances that will be celebrated for years to come. Top athletes from 28 Asian nations shone brightly, bringing home an array of medals from the Games. From China's diving dominance and weightlifting records to Hong Kong's fencing triumphs and Taiwan's historic victories, these athletes are inspiring millions across the continent. Their extraordinary achievements at the Games have set a new standard of excellence and united the region in celebration.

Here is the final gold medal tally for Asian countries at the Paris 2024 Olympics:

China - 40; Japan - 20; South Korea - 13; Uzbekistan - 8; Iran - 3; Bahrain - 2; Taiwan - 2; Hong Kong - 2; Philippines - 2; Indonesia - 2; Kazakhstan - 1; Thailand - 1; Pakistan - 1 

NOW READ

5 Korean celebrities who are also accomplished athletes

LA28: 5 new sports added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Why the 2024 Paris Olympics was a triumph for representation and diversity