The host nation added two more gold medals in sepak takraw to finish top of the pile with 56 gold, 37 silver and 33 bronze medals, followed by China with 16 gold, 11 silver and 21 bronze and South Korea with nine gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze.

Iran and 2016 Asian Beach Games hosts Vietnam finished fourth and fifth respectively, but there was no stopping the irrepressible Thai's, who only won one less gold than the next six nations in the overall table combined. 

Considering their pedigree in sepak takraw, the success there was unsurprising, with their women overcoming Vietnam before their male counterparts beat Indonesia.

With the sport also featuring on the programme for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, there are some who believe a sport popular predominantly in southeast Asia does not deserve a spot at three different Asian multi-sport competition.

But there is no doubt it has been a success here, with support and interest from local observers as loud as at any other venue.

Thailand also celebrate their sepak takraw double on the final day ©Phuket 2014



If sepak takraw is the sport of the southeast, then kabaddi is the chosen discipline for South Asia.

As expected, India won the women's gold with a 61-48 victory over Thailand, but there was a shock in the corresponding men's competition as Iran defeated Pakistan, 40-27.

India could only manage joint third place with Sri Lanka.

That left beach volleyball, the quintessential beach sport and therefore the perfect one to bring the curtain down on the continental extravaganza.

Indonesia overcame Iran in a tight 2-1 battle to win the men's crown, before Tatyana Mashkova and Irina Tsimbalova took the women's event with a 2-0 victory for Kazakhstan over Thailand.

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