Qatar leave Nagoya with 18 medals as Asian Games Flag begins journey to Doha 2030

The 2026 Asian Games officially came to an end in Aichi-Nagoya on Sunday, after more than two weeks of intense sporting action. Qatar formally received the Asian Games flag from Aichi-Nagoya on Sunday, marking the official start of its journey toward hosting the 21st Asian Games in Doha in 2030.Qatar’s 243-strong delegation competed in 26 sports and 32 disciplines in Japan. According to a final medal table published after the Games, Qatar finished 14th with six gold, six silver and six bronze medals, 18 in total. The handover ceremony took place at Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya during the closing ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, with senior Qatari and Japanese officials attending the transition between hosts. In his closing address, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, praised the athletes and organisers of Aichi-Nagoya 2026, saying the Games had created a legacy extending “far beyond sports and Japan” and “touching every corner of our continent”.Sheikh Joaan said more than 350 records had been broken during the Games, including more than 50 world records, while 40 of the 45 National Olympic Committees achieved medals.The Games had showcased “remarkable comebacks, last second victories and dramatic near misses”, alongside the emergence of teenage stars and the achievements of established champions, Sheikh Joaan added.He also highlighted the sportsmanship shown by athletes, saying they had sent “an inspirational message” to millions of young people across Asia that “whether or not you stand on the podium, what matters most is the joy of competition, the bond of friendship and the pursuit of excellence”.“Together, we have seen just how far Asia can rise when we dream without limits, when we imagine One Asia,” Sheikh Joaan said, as he congratulated the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Organising Committee, the Japanese Olympic Committee, Aichi Prefecture, the City of Nagoya and the Government of Japan.Addressing the transition of the Games to Qatar, Sheikh Joaan said: “Tonight, as we lower the flag of Aichi, Nagoya 2026, we close these games but we raise the bar for Asian sports.”“The flame may be extinguished but the hopes it has ignited will continue to burn brightly across our continent,” he said, calling on young people across Asia to carry that spirit forward and return in four years for the Doha Games.“As we move from east to west, from Japan to Qatar, spreading our values and ensuring that every corner of our continent experience this celebration of sports, our hearts and homes are open to all Asians. Welcome to Doha, everyone.” Sheikh Joaan added.Hideaki Omura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture, also praised the athletes for giving their best throughout the Games and highlighted the touching moments when competitors embraced and congratulated their opponents after events.He described those displays of sportsmanship and friendship as particularly special.The handover involved three symbolic items; the Torch, the old OCA Flag and the new OCA Flag, which were formally presented by the Japanese representatives. The Torch was handed to Sheikh Joaan, then to Sheikh Mohammed before being passed to Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain and then entrusted to Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim. The same sequence was followed for the old OCA Flag, and the new OCA Flag was ultimately entrusted to Barshim, beginning the artistic section of the ceremony. Barshim became a central figure in the artistic performance, carrying the flag among a group of Qatari athletes before taking it to the centre of the stage and raising it. Barshim, a three-time world champion and three-time Olympic medallist, said carrying the Asian Games flag was “a great honour” and that Doha 2030 would offer “an opportunity for a new generation to compete, to inspire and to see what is possible through sport.”A horse and rider then emerged as another major symbol of the performance, with Qatari equestrian Jassim Al Kuwari taking the flag from Barshim. The horse echoed Qatar’s sporting heritage and specifically recalled the Doha 2006 opening ceremony, when Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani carried the Asian Games torch on horseback. The Qatar National Flag was also raised during the ceremony as Qatari singer and composer Dana Al Meer performed the national anthem live in the presence of the Military Defence Corps.Al Meer’s voice has featured at major sporting occasions in Qatar, including the opening and closing ceremonies of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. For Qatar, the flag handover now begins a four-year preparation period for Doha 2030.Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the handover of the Asian Games Flag as “more than a ceremonial moment”.He said “it is a gesture of trust between hosts, and a reminder of the power of sport to bring nations, cultures and communities together.”He also added, “today, as Aichi-Nagoya concludes its Games, Qatar is honoured to receive the Flag and to begin its responsibility as the next host. We are grateful to Aichi-Nagoya and to Japan for the welcome extended to Qatar and to the wider Asian sporting community.”Sheikh Mohammed also stressed that “Doha 2030 will build on the legacy of Doha 2006 while looking ahead to a new generation of athletes, fans and communities across Asia. We will approach this responsibility with humility, partnership and a deep respect for the cultural diversity and aspirations of our continent.”