Asian Games open in Nagoya with a spectacular ceremony

MUSCAT: The 20th Asian Games opened in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday with a glittering ceremony of dance, music and fireworks, following a buildup marked by operational and logistical problems.

Five years after the Tokyo Olympics were held largely behind closed doors because of COVID-19 restrictions, Japan welcomed fans to the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium for a curtain-raiser that began in subdued fashion before developing into a vibrant celebration of colour and sound.

Emperor Naruhito formally declared the Aichi-Nagoya Games open after watching the parade of 45 participating nations and regions from the dignitaries’ table alongside International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry.

The Omani delegation participating in the opening ceremony was headed by His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said, President of the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC), in the presence of a number of officials from the committee.

Naruhito’s attendance, accompanied by members of the Imperial Family, prompted a major security operation, with organisers saying up to 10,000 police would be deployed for the ceremony.

“While the world is too often divided by conflict, they (the Asiad athletes) remind us that sport remains a powerful force for peace, understanding and friendship among nations,” Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani said in his address.

Japan’s father-and-son duo of Shigenobu Murofushi and Koji Murofushi, both former Asian Games hammer throw champions, jointly lit the cauldron after climbing a set of stairs at the conclusion of the torch relay.

The ceremony, directed by Nagoya-born filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi, initially featured classical music and dance on a heart-shaped stage before the parade of nations.

The programme later gathered pace with performances inspired by Nagoya’s manufacturing heritage, including dancers in boiler suits, before fireworks brought the evening to a close.

The ceremony’s theme, “Harmonic Heart Beat”, was designed to reflect Asian solidarity and the links between athletes, spectators and the continent’s diverse cultures. More than 11,000 athletes are competing for 369 gold medals across 43 sports.

While competitions in basketball, football, hockey and several other sports have already begun, the first gold medals are expected to be awarded on Sunday, with triathlon among the early contenders.

Alongside traditional Olympic sports, the Games feature Asian favourites such as kabaddi and sepak takraw, while esports returns after its debut at Hangzhou. Teqball, combining elements of table tennis and football, and virtual taekwondo are among the new additions.