At the 1997 East Asian Games

1997 East Asian Games

The 2nd East Asian Games were held in Busan, South Korea from May 10 to May 19, 1997.Originally the 2nd edition of East Asian Games was to be held in Pyongyang, North Korea in September, 1995. However, North Korea dropped the 2nd Games due to the unstable policial situation in the Korean...

, the athletics events were held at the Busan Gudeok Stadium

Busan Gudeok Stadium

Busan Gudeok Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Busan, South Korea. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 24,363 people and opened in 1928. During the 1988 Summer Olympics, it hosted some football preliminary matches. And it was a main stadium for the 2nd East...

 in Busan

Busan

Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...

, South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

 between 10–19 May. A total of 43 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 20 by female athletes.

In terms of country performance the competition was a closely contested affair between Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, which dominated the men's events, and China which led in the women's proceedings. Both finished with a total of 16 gold medals, but China's strength in depth showed in the minor medals as it took a medal haul of 52 (ten more than Japan). Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

 took the third-most gold medals with seven, while the hosts (South Korea) won 18 medals to be the third-best medalling team, although this was one of their weaker sports.

In terms of athletes, Minori Hayakari provided a boost to Japan by winning silver in the 800 metres

800 metres

The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...

 and a bronze in the 1500 metres

1500 metres

The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...

 event. Wang Zhicheng of China also won two individual medals: a 5000 metres

5000 metres

The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...

 silver, and 10,000 metres bronze. A number of athletes went on to further success at the 1998 Asian Games

Athletics at the 1998 Asian Games

-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...

: Koji Ito

Koji Ito

is a retired Japanese track and field sprinter. He is a former Asian record holder in the 100 metres and 200 metres, and still holds the indoor record as well as the 4×400 metres relay record....

 and Koji Murofushi

Koji Murofushi

is a Japanese hammer thrower. He has been among the world elite since the 2001 World Championships, where he won the silver medal. He was olympic champion during the Athens Olympics. In 2011, He was crowned world champion.-Career:...

 won gold in their events, and China had particular success with their field eventers as Ren Ruiping

Ren Ruiping

Ren Ruiping is a female Chinese triple jumper. Ren set three world junior records in triple jump, and is a former Asian record holder with 14.66 metres. The record now belongs to Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan with 15.25 metres.-Achievements:-External links:...

, Li Meisu

Li Meisu

Li Meisu is a retired Chinese shot putter who won the bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.She also won the Asian Games in 1982 and 1998, the Asian Championships in 1998 and the East Asian Games in 1997....

 and Li Shaojie

Li Shaojie

Li Shaojie is a male Chinese discus thrower. His personal best throw is 65.16 metres, achieved in May 1996 in Nanjing. This is the current Chinese record....

 all took Asian Games

Asian Games

The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...

 gold medals.

Men

100 metres Wind: 4.0 m/s		10.04 w		10.30 w		10.36 w
200 metres		20.98 GR		21.05		21.23
400 metres		45.84 GR		46.08		46.50
800 metres		1:49.00		1:50.75		1:50.76
1500 metres		3:49.90 GR		3:49.97		3:51.18
5000 metres		13:55.84		14:03.62		14:22.96
10,000 metres		28:44.60 GR		29:29.08		29:49.54
110 metre hurdles		13.67 GR		13.70		13.85
400 metre hurdles		49.60 GR		50.41		50.73
3000 metre steeplechase		8:39.28 GR		8:45.38		8:54.16
4×100 metre relay	Japan	39.32 GR	People's Republic of China	39.43	Chinese Taipei	40.31
4×400 metre relay	Japan	3:04.35 =GR	South Korea	3:09.11	Chinese Taipei	3:09.77
Half marathon		1:07:06		1:07:16		1:08:17
20 km track walk		1:23:58.59		1:23:59.99		1:27:39.38
High jump		2.28 m GR		2.24 m		2.24 m
Pole vault		5.50 m GR		5.40 m		5.40 m
Long jump		8.13 m		8.03 m w		7.92 m
Triple jump		16.89 m GR		16.71 m		16.39 m
Shot put		19.47 m		18.57 m		18.28 m
Discus throw		62.58 m GR		60.42 m		60.14 m
Hammer throw		73.40 m		69.56 m		68.68 m
Javelin throw		77.80 m GR		73.74 m		72.42 m
Decathlon		7372 pts		7103 pts		7045 pts

Women

100 metres Wind: 2.5 m/s		11.46 w		11.49 w		11.55 w
200 metres		23.44 GR		23.82		24.09
400 metres		52.92 GR		53.48		54.17
800 metres		2:06.16		2:07.65		2:10.05
1500 metres		4:19.36		4:19.80		4:21.37
5000 metres		15:37.53 GR		15:38.73		15:46.88
10,000 metres		31:31.85 GR		32:47.20		33:02.25
100 metre hurdles		13.16 GR		13.29		13.31
400 metre hurdles		55.90 GR		58.00		58.06
4×100 metre relay	People's Republic of China	45.05	Japan	45.16	Chinese Taipei	45.52
4×400 metre relay	People's Republic of China	3:35.27	Japan	3:36.60	South Korea	3:54.05
Half marathon		1:14:19 GR		1:14:22		1:14:31
10,000 m track walk		46:23.25		47:08.09		47:20.49
High jump		1.91 m GR		1.88 m		1.88 m
Long jump		6.59 m GR		6.42 m		6.25 m
Triple jump		14.47 m GR		13.50 m		13.13 m
Shot put		19.07 m		18.26 m		17.56 m
Discus throw		63.82 m GR		61.94 m		51.90 m
Javelin throw		56.92 m		56.10 m		51.06 m
Heptathlon		5971 pts		5737 pts		5560 pts

Medal table

Key:

1	align=left	|16	19	17	52
2	align=left	|16	12	14	42
3	align=left	|4	6	8	18
4	align=left	|7	2	0	9
5	align=left	|0	3	3	6
6	align=left	|0	1	0	1
7	align=left	|0	0	1	1
8	align=left	|0	0	0	0
8	align=left	|0	0	0	0
Total		43	43	43	129

External links

• Official website from Olympic Council of Asia
  Olympic Council of Asia
  The Olympic Council of Asia is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees. The current president is Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah. The oldest NOC is from Japan and Philippines, recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1911; whereas East Timor is...