Nagoya: The 20th Asian Games officially got underway here Saturday with a colourful, high-tech opening ceremony at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium after days of organisational chaos.
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito declared the Games open in the presence of Empress Masako, members of the Japanese imperial family, Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry.
The two-hour ceremony began with the rendition of the Japanese national anthem, followed by the raising of the national flag. Nine members of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces carried the flag onto the stage before it was hoisted.
The stadium then plunged into darkness, and a spotlight illuminated the national flag.
The ceremony, which lacked the usual fanfare and witnessed many vacant seats in the stadium, was followed by the athletes’ parade, with contingents from 45 nations and the OCA Refugee Team, taking the total number of participating delegations to 46.
Afghanistan were the first to enter the parade, while China, the continent’s sporting powerhouse, drew attention with a contingent of more than 800 athletes.
Double Olympic medallist from Paris 2024 Manu Bhaker and Hangzhou Asian Games gold-winning kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent during the parade, proudly carrying the Tricolour in a traditional navy blue attire.
Sehrawat replaced shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India’s flag-bearer after Toor did not receive his ceremonial kit in time.
The 501-member Indian contingent is aiming to build on its best-ever Asian Games performance at Hangzhou in 2023, where the country won 106 medals, including 28 gold, to finish fourth in the standings.
Some events had already begun ahead of the opening ceremony. In women’s cricket, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India entered the semifinals after an eight-wicket win over hosts Japan on Friday.
India are also in contention for a medal in teqball, which is making its Asian Games debut. Quimcy D’Souza lost her women’s singles semifinal Saturday and will now compete for the bronze medal.
The Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, with Nagoya City’s Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium hosting the opening and closing ceremonies.
The continental showpiece features around 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and the OCA Refugee Team competing across 43 events for 469 gold medals.Asian Games
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