The 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou next year will mean different things for different National Olympic Committees. For the likes of host nation China and regional rivals Japan and Korea, the only medal that matters is gold. But for some of the continent’s smaller countries and regions, the Games offer much more than medals.

Take the case of Palestine.

“I believe that we will not have any gold or silver or anything, but we will have the chance to exchange our experience and see what the world is. We need to have a challenge in their mind,” says Saba’ Jarrar, a member of the Palestinian Olympic Committee.

“We will have maybe 40 athletes in the team next year, but in my dream I hope all our athletes can come and compete in facilities they did not see before. As Chef de Mission I will try to have more than 40,” she adds.

Palestine, which plans to compete in taekwondo, judo, swimming and football in Guangzhou next November, recently hosted a women’s football friendly international against Jordan at the Faisal Husseini Stadium on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

The president of the POC, Major General Jibril Rajoub, was hoping for 10,000 women to attend and support their team, but the attendance was far higher.

“Mr. Jibril said he wanted 10,000 women to watch the game. That was our challenge, and in the end we got 16,000. The stadium was full, with 12,000 women and 4,000 men,” says Ms. Jarrar, proudly.

The pre-match protocol, including a lap of honour by the two teams, hand in hand, in front of flag-waving fans, and the match, which ended 2-2, are captured on a DVD available from the POC.