Asian Games hockey champions: Pakistan dominate men’s winners list; Korea top women’s roll of honour

Hockey, over the years, has been a major part of the Asian Games.

The first edition of the Asian Games was held in 1951 in New Delhi, India, but hockey made its Asian Games debut seven years later, at the 1958 Tokyo Games.

The sport has been a regular feature at the marquee event since. However, only men’s hockey was played till the 1978 Asian Games. Women’s hockey was introduced at the 1982 Asian Games, which was also held in New Delhi.

Men’s hockey at Asian Games: Pakistan’s early dominance unmatched

In the early years, the Pakistan men’s hockey team emerged as the dominant force at the Asian Games, mostly at the expense of arch-rivals India.

At the time, the India vs Pakistan rivalry was the biggest draw in hockey and while India excelled on the Olympics stage, the script was flipped at the continental event.

Pakistan have competed in every Asian Games men’s hockey tournament since 1958, winning the gold medal eight times. They also have three Asian Games silvers and three bronze medals.

Four-time Hockey World Cup winners Pakistan won the first-ever Asian Games men’s hockey gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games while the Indian men’s hockey team settled for silver. The tournament was played in a single round-robin league format.

Pakistan and India, interestingly, played out the next six finals till the 1982 Asian Games. India, however, managed to triumph over Pakistan just once - at the 1966 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, courtesy of an extra-time winner from Balbir Singh. Pakistan won the other five finals.

With hockey’s popularity on the rise in Asia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Japan began challenging Pakistan and India’s duopoly in the late 1980s.

The 1986 Asian Games in Seoul saw the Republic of Korea win the Asian Games men's hockey gold medal on their home soil. Korea would go on to win three more gold medals - in 1994, 2002 and 2006 - making them the joint second-most successful team at the continental meet with four gold medals, alongside India.

India, champions in 1966, 1998 and 2014, equalled South Korea's tally of gold medals by winning the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China, in 2023. However, India’s impressive record goes beyond golds, boasting nine silver and three bronze medals in their collection.

At the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, Japan became only the fourth nation, after Pakistan, India and South Korea, to win an Asian Games gold medal in men’s hockey.

Japan beat Malaysia 3-1 in the penalty shootout after the final was tied at 6-6 after regulation time. India beat Pakistan 2-1 in the playoff to pocket the bronze in the edition.

India won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2023 and secured a berth for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Asian Games men's hockey winners and medallists

Women’s hockey at Asian Games: South Korea rule the roost

Women’s hockey made its Asian Games debut in the 1982 edition in New Delhi. The Indian hockey team became the inaugural women’s hockey Asian Games champions after remaining undefeated throughout the tournament.

Korea clinched a silver in the inaugural edition but went on to win the next four gold medals on the bounce.

The first four editions of women’s hockey tournaments at the Asian Games, from 1982 to 1994, featured six teams each and were played in the round-robin format. The medals were given as per the standings on the points table.

The first-ever women’s hockey final was played between Korea and India at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. South Korea pipped India 2-1 to win their fourth successive title while China won bronze with a 2-0 win over Japan.

The next three editions saw China win a hat-trick of gold medals. South Korea, however, regained the title on their home soil after defeating China by a solitary goal in the 2014 final. It was Korea’s fifth gold.

The Japanese women’s hockey team won its maiden gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

China won their fourth gold at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou.

Asian Games women's hockey winners and medallists