2002 Asian Games

The 2002 <a href="/facts/Asian_Games/D2fGSW7k">Asian Games</a>, officially known as the XIV Asian Games and also known as Busan 2002 (부산2002), were an international <a href="/facts/Multi-sport_event/23bjcQpo">multi-sport event</a> held in <a href="/facts/Busan/rHbfkIA3">Busan</a>, <a href="/facts/South_Korea/pCobAaVw">South Korea</a> from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Due to schedule impediments the football tournament started two days before the opening ceremony.
Busan is the second city in South Korea, after <a href="/facts/Seoul/H0Xloz9o">Seoul</a> in <a href="/facts/1986_Asian_Games/PmDK7uQM">1986</a>, to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries. The Games were also co-hosted by its four neighbouring cities: <a href="/facts/Ulsan/3Hoo3s54">Ulsan</a>, <a href="/facts/Changwon/GINjaxsa">Changwon</a>, <a href="/facts/Masan/DRBpzS0q">Masan</a> and <a href="/facts/Yangsan/aX0Tto81">Yangsan</a>. It was opened by President of South Korea, <a href="/facts/Kim_Dae-jung/RgpyQQLK">Kim Dae-jung</a>, at the <a href="/facts/Busan_Asiad_Main_Stadium/nYSQfQdI">Busan Asiad Main Stadium</a>.
The final medal tally was led by <a href="/facts/China_at_the_2002_Asian_Games/9enGM8Ye">China</a>, followed by host <a href="/facts/South_Korea_at_the_1998_Asian_Games/yLczTIbV">South Korea</a> and <a href="/facts/Japan_at_the_1998_Asian_Games/KwzT4VEE">Japan</a>. China set a new record and became the first nation in the history of <a href="/facts/Asian_Games/D2fGSW7k">Asian Games</a> to cross the 300 medal-mark in one edition. South Korea set a new record with 95 gold medals. 22 world records and 43 Asian records were broken during the Games. In addition, Japanese Swimming <a href="/facts/Kosuke_Kitajima/nbdGuqW0">Kosuke Kitajima</a> was announced as the <a href="/facts/Most_valuable_player/QI7y6eDU">most valuable player</a> (MVP) of the Games.

2002 Asian Games open-in-new

2002 Asian Games