The 2011 Asian Winter Games, officially known as the 7th Asian Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event held in Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan, from January 30 and to February 6, 2011. A total of 991 athletes representing 26 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated in these games, competing in 69 events from 11 different sports and disciplines.[1][a]
Athletes from 8 NOCs won at least one medal, the most ever at any Asian Winter Games and athletes from 4 of these NOCs secured at least one gold. For the first time Kazakhstan led the medal table in its Asian Games history, with 32 golds and overall 70 medals.[2] In doing so, it also broke the record for the most golds won by a NOC at a single Asian Winter Games (the previous was 29, set by the Japan in 1986).[3] Kazakhstan's previous best was second place in 1996 in Harbin, China, with 14 gold medals, only one behind China.[4] Athletes from Iran and Kyrgyzstan won the first Asian Winter Games medals for their nations.[5][6]