HANGZHOU, China: The biggest Asian Games in history, to be participated by about 12,000 competitors — more than the Olympics — will open on Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after almost a year’s delay because of Covid.
Athletes including world and Olympic champions will vie for medals in 40 sports ranging from athletics, swimming and football to eSports and bridge. Nine sports, among them boxing, break dancing and tennis, will serve as qualifiers for the next year’s Paris Olympics.
The Games were supposed to take place in September 2022 but were postponed because of China’s strict zero-Covid policy, before China’s ruling Communist Party abruptly abandoned the policy.
The 19th edition of the Games will bring together competitors from 45 countries and territories across Asia and the Middle East.
For China, which recently hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics in a COVID-secure “bubble” in Beijing, this event offers an opportunity to showcase its organizational, sporting, and technological prowess following the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Chen Weiqiang, chief spokesperson for the Games, expressed confidence in overcoming challenges and ensuring a successful event.
The Games will unfold across 54 venues, including 14 newly constructed facilities, primarily in Hangzhou but extending to cities as distant as Wenzhou, 300 kilometers (180 miles) to the south.
The centerpiece of the event is the “Big Lotus” Olympic stadium, with a capacity of up to 80,000, serving as the stage for athletics competitions and the opening and closing ceremonies.
President Xi Jinping is slated to attend the opening ceremony and meet with Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad, alongside other visiting leaders, according to Chinese state media.
Assad’s visit marks his first to ally China since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
ALSO READ: 262 Pakistani Athletes to Participate in 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou
Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people located an hour’s bullet train ride from Shanghai, is renowned in China for its ancient temples, gardens, and the beloved West Lake. It’s also considered the unofficial home of China’s tech industry, notably being the birthplace of Jack Ma’s Alibaba.
The Games will feature some of the latest technological innovations from the city, including driverless buses, robot dogs, and facial recognition technology.
Hosts China have consistently topped the medals table at every Asian Games since 1982 and are expected to maintain this tradition by the event’s conclusion on October 8.
Swimming prospects look bright for China, with Qin Haiyang, fresh from his world championship victories, anticipated to shine.
In athletics, India’s Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will defend his Asian Games javelin crown, facing competition from world silver medalist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan.
Esports, seen as a step toward potential Olympic inclusion, will make its full Asian Games debut. South Korean legend Lee Sang-hyeok, known as “Faker” in League of Legends, will lead his country’s esports team at the futuristic China Hangzhou Esports Center.
A unique feature of the Asian Games is its inclusion of sports not typically found in the Olympics, such as Xiangqi (Chinese chess), bridge, and the ancient wrestling discipline of kurash.
While the Games officially open on Saturday, the sporting action began earlier this week when North Korea returned to major international competition for the first time since the pandemic, securing a 2-0 victory over Taiwan in men’s football.
Asian Game, China, Hangzhou, COVID-19, Sport, Athlete,
