The competition has been held every two years since then, although the 2003 edition was postponed due to political conflicts within the region.

[1] Athletes and teams of Japan, China and Iran have historically been the most successful of the championships.

However, Qatar and Bahrain have become increasingly dominant since 2005, led by a number of East African-born athletes who have transferred allegiance to the small Middle-Eastern states.

[3][4][5] The 2011 edition, set for February in Kathmandu, was postponed after the Nepalese government did not provide the requisite funds needed to host the event.

[7] The 2020 edition of the race, originally set for March in Hong Kong, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.