"Harmonious Heartbeats" at the Inaugural Ceremony of the Asian Games
The 20th Asian Games were officially opened yesterday in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where competitions will continue until October 4, featuring more than 11,000 male and female athletes. It is the second-largest multi-sport event in the world after the Summer Olympic Games. Emperor Naruhito of Japan officially declared the Games open, which are held under the motto “Imagine Asia as One.” The opening ceremony took place at Mizuho Park Stadium in Nagoya amid a spectacular celebratory atmosphere, attended by Dr. Tariq Al-Jalahma, Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs; Sheikh Fahad Al-Nasser, head of the Kuwaiti delegation and president of the Kuwait Olympic Committee; Sheikh Jauhar bin Hamad Al-Thani, president of the Olympic Council of Asia; Kirsty Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee; and a large gathering of official and sports figures from across Asia and the world.
The ceremony began with a Japanese artistic segment welcoming the participating athletes and officials, followed by the parade of participating Asian nations, as well as the Olympic Council of Asia Refugee Team. The ceremony was themed “Harmonious Heartbeats,” symbolizing the unity of the hearts of Asia’s peoples and athletes as one, with a sports spirit, blending traditional Japanese culture with modern sports elements, music, and performing arts.
The cauldron was lit after the Olympic torch arrived at the Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, following a relay that began on August 22 and covered all 40 municipalities in Aichi Prefecture and the 16 wards of Nagoya City, with 1,000 people taking turns carrying the flame.
Kuwaiti sports made a distinguished appearance with a delegation of 120 male and female athletes competing in 16 different sports. The parade of nations during the opening ceremony featured an exceptional moment for the Kuwaiti delegation, as shooting champion Sarah Al-Hawail and athletics champion Ibrahim Al-Zufairi were honored with the privilege of carrying the Kuwaiti flag. The two champions expressed their immense pride in this historic moment, affirming that carrying the national flag at this major continental event represents a badge of honor and a doubled responsibility to place Kuwait at the forefront of the competitions. They emphasized that this eagerly awaited moment serves as a great moral boost for them and all their fellow male and female athletes to deliver their best performances and climb onto the podiums.
Through this participation, the Kuwaiti delegation aims to deliver a dignified performance and continue the rich record of Kuwaiti sports in the Asian Games, particularly in disciplines where it has long excelled, such as shooting, athletics, handball, and martial arts.
The first gold medal is expected to be awarded this morning, most likely in the men’s individual triathlon, while the continent’s elite athletes compete in more than 40 sports. China is again expected to top the medal table, having won 201 gold medals and 383 medals in total on home soil in Hangzhou during the 2023 Games, which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
