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| Fireworks explode over the Gelora Bung Karno main stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on September 2, 2018. AFP |
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| Fireworks illuminate the sky during the closing ceremony of the Asian Games 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, 02 September 2018. EPA |
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| The Indonesian team marches into the closing ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018. AP |
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| A child attends the 18th Asian Games closing ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018. AP |
The 18th Asian Games wrapped up here in Jakarta on Sunday with a ceremony highlighting Indonesian art and cultural heritage.
Jakarta and Palembang ― which lies 400 kilometers northwest of the capital ― served as the co-host cities of the continental competition that began on Aug. 18 under the motto "Energy of Asia."
Indonesia hosted 11,000 athletes from 45 nations competing for 465 gold medals in 40 sports.
South Korea had 809 athletes in 39 sports and took 49 gold medals to rank third in the medal table behind China (132) and Japan (75).
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| Participants perform during the closing ceremony. Reuters |
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| Athletes carry the combined Koreas flag into the closing ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018. AP |
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| Flag bearers carry the flag of the unified Korean team during the Parade of Nations segment. Reuters |
South Korea's goal was to claim at least 65 gold medals and fend off Japan for second place for the sixth consecutive Asian Games. It achieved neither: 49 gold medals is South Korea's smallest haul since 1982, and it last ranked below Japan at Hiroshima 1994.
South Korea had a slow start to the race as gold medal contenders in archery and taekwondo fell by the wayside. A strong finish in team sports, including football and baseball, wasn't enough to get South Korea past the half-century mark.
South and North Korea competed as one in three sports ― canoeing, rowing and women's basketball ― and produced four medals, including a gold by the women's dragon boat racing team in canoeing. There were two bronze medals from canoeing, and a silver from women's basketball.
The Koreas marched in together at the opening ceremony on Aug. 18. There wasn't any formal parade of athletes at the closing ceremony, as the flagbearers walked in separately.
For the Koreas, two table tennis players, Suh Hyo-won of the South and Choe Il of the North, served as the co-flagbearers.
The Koreas had their first unified sports team at an international competition in table tennis at the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships.
Athletes who completed their Asian Games have already left Indonesia, and only about 40 South Korean and 20 North Korean athletes were at the closing ceremony. (Yonhap)
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| A Chines athlete carries her nation's flag into the closing ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018. AP |
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| A Japanese athlete carries her nation's flag into the closing ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018. AP |
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| People wait for the closing ceremony of the Asian Games 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, 2 Sept. 2018. EPA |
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