Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony Highlights: Prez Jinping declares Games open during glittery evening in Hangzhou
Asian Games Opening Ceremony 2023 Highlights: Tokyo bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain and men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian contingent.
Asian Games Opening Ceremony 2023 Highlights: Chinese president Xi Jinping officially declared the 19th edition of the Asian Games open on Saturday in Hangzhou, China. A glittery opening ceremony, combined with both tradition and technology, marked the commencement of the continental showdown at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, also ...Read More known as the Big Lotus. Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain and men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian contingent. Apart from her heroics in Tokyo, Lovlina is the reigning world champion in her weight category. She had secured a gold at the World Championship, which was held earlier this year in New Delhi. Harmapreet, on the other hand, is India's best drag-flicker and will hope to lead his side to an Asiad gold, which will ensure them a quota at the upcoming Paris Olympics. India have fielded a strong 655-member contingent. Catch the highlights of the Asian Games opening ceremony in Hangzhou:
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- Sep 23, 2023 07:37 PM IST
Asian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Opening ceremony ends
The opening ceremony of the 19th edition of the Asian Games ends with a musicial performance.
It was one of the finest spectacle combined with both technology and tradition.
Sep 23, 2023 07:33 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: What a sight!
The digital torch bearer arrive in the arena and along with the other athletes, they light up the cauldron.
Sep 23, 2023 07:28 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Torch lighting ceremony
Chinese athletes arrive in the middle with a flaming torch for the torch lighting ceremony. Artificial intelligence continue to mesmerise as we also see a digital torch bearer running with the torch across the city.
Sep 23, 2023 07:24 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: The performaces keep coming
A large group performs with pom pom forming a circle, while a small group of children sing. We have another set of artists, who are dancing in the middle.
Sep 23, 2023 07:17 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Time for technology after tradition
After the traditional dance forms, China showcases their advancement in technology, creating images of different sporting arenas which left the audience amazed.
Sep 23, 2023 07:05 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: A vibrant display of China's rich art
We have a beautiful dance performance, following which there is an exhibition of China's rich art form. It starts with an artist trying to paint a picture on the canvas before moving to another display of elegant dance form.
Sep 23, 2023 06:57 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Video promoting China's culture is being played
Following the flag hoisting of the OCA flag, two Chinese athletes take the oath.
Now we have a promotional video of China's rich culture being played on the big screen.
Sep 23, 2023 06:53 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: OCA flag is hoisted
The OCA flag is being taken to flag post, following which everyone present in the arena is requested to stand for the hoisting of the flag.
Sep 23, 2023 06:48 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Xi Jinping declares the start of Asian Games
Chinese president Xi Jinping officially declares the start of Asian Games.
Sep 23, 2023 06:44 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Randhir Singh addresses the crowd
The acting president of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Randhir Singh addresses the crowd. He addresses the crowd in English, which also feature a bit of Chinese phrashes, triggering huge roars from crowd.
Sep 23, 2023 06:39 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Flag bearers assemble at the center
The flag bearers have assembled at the center of the stadium as Wang Hao, president of the 19th Asian Games, addresses the crowd.
Sep 23, 2023 06:36 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: China have fielded 887-member contingent
Qin Haiyang and Yang Liwei were China's flag-bearers. They have fielded a 887-member contingent for the continental showdown.
And with that we are done with the different contingent marching out with their respective flags.
Wang Hao, the president of the 19th Asian Games, addresses the crowd in Chinese.
Sep 23, 2023 06:32 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Loudest cheer
Vietnam walkout in red and grey, followed by Yemen.
We now have the hosts China, marching out to the loudest roar from the crowd. The contingent is dressed up in Blue blazers. The spectators are loving every bit of it, and so are the athletes.
Sep 23, 2023 06:24 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Vibrant affair
Several other participating nations have marched out in their traditional attires, making the opening ceremony a vibrant affair.
Meanwhile, the mascots and volunteers welcome the athletes as they walk waving their respective country’s flag.
Sep 23, 2023 06:17 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Malaysian contingent march out
Sep 23, 2023 06:10 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Mascots entertain the spectators
Sep 23, 2023 06:03 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Pumped up Indian contingent
Sep 23, 2023 05:59 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Two Afghanistan contingent
In the first Asian Games since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, two teams of athletes are arriving in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, looking very different.
One, sent from Afghanistan where women are now banned by the Taliban from participating in sports, consists of about 130 all-male athletes, who will participate in 17 different sports, including volleyball, judo and wrestling, Atel Mashwani, a Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Afghanistan’s Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press.
Another, competing under the black, red and green flag of the elected government the Taliban toppled in 2021, is drawn from the diaspora of Afghan athletes around the world, and includes 17 women, according to Hafizullah Wali Rahimi, the president of Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee from before the Taliban took over.
Sep 23, 2023 05:55 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Clip of Indian contingent marching out
Sep 23, 2023 05:51 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Lovlina, Harmanpreet lead the unit
We can see the Indian contingent march out in the traditional attire. A shade of brown with green strap on their attires – Sari(women) and Kurta (men).
Lovlina Borgohain and Harmanpreet Singh lead the unit.
Sep 23, 2023 05:48 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Loud cheer for China
A loud cheer for the home contingent as the Chinese athletes grace the spectators. We can also see president Xi Jinping clapping as the camera pans to him momentarily.
Sep 23, 2023 05:46 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Afghanistan first country to march out
The first country to march out are Afghanistan, which consists of about 130 all-male athletes. Women are banned from participating in sports by the Taliban regime. They will be participating in 17 different sports, including volleyball, judo and wrestling.
Sep 23, 2023 05:44 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: The mascots grace the arena
The 19th edition of the Asian Games has three mascots.
These mascots, which are all robots, have been collectively named ‘Memories of Jiangnan’. The name is dedicated to a poem by Bai Juyi, a recognised poet of the Tang dynasty.
The robots are Chenchen, Congcong, and Lianlian, which represent Hangzhou's vibrant culture and heritage.
Sep 23, 2023 05:36 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: China's national anthem
A group of soldiers march the arena with the flag of China, which is carried to the flag pole and then hoisted.
We also have a choir, along the spectators assembled singing the national anthem. Some jaw-dropping graphics displayed on the big screen in the background.
This opening ceremony pays ode to China’s modern and traditional outlook.
Sep 23, 2023 05:35 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Largest ever Asian Games
A total of 12,000 athletes from 45 participating nations are taking part in the Asian Games, making it the largest ever.
Sep 23, 2023 05:32 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Opening ceremony starts
China's president Xi Jinping along with other delegates arrive at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium to kick-off the opening ceremony.
Sep 23, 2023 05:24 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Some visuals from the opening ceremony
Sep 23, 2023 05:19 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Know who are India's flag-bearers
Lovlina Borgohain is a reigning world champion in her weight category. She is also an Asian champion and an Olympic bronze medallist in boxing.
Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh is known for his exceptional skills as a drag-flicker. He played a pivotal role in India's triumphant campaign at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where the team secured a historic Bronze medal. He recently steered the Indian team to title victory at the Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023, showcasing his ability to inspire and motivate his teammates to achieve excellence.
Sep 23, 2023 05:07 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: TT starts on positive note
The Indian men's and women's table tennis team started their Asian Games campaign on a positive note.
The men's team beat Yemen with a dominating performance and won the match 3-0.
The women's unit started their stint with a hard-fought win over Singapore, whom they defeated 3-2.
Sep 23, 2023 04:50 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Impressive show by men's volleyball
One team that has impressed the most at the Asian Games, is the Indian men's volleyball team. They started off with a 3-0 win over lowly-ranked Camdodia, then engaged in a five-set thriller against South Korea, which they won 3-2. The two wins saw India finish top of the pool table and advance to the knockouts.
On Friday they defeated Chinese Taipei in straight sets to continue its winning momentum. With this outcome the Indian team has advanced to the classification stage, where they will meet two-time champions Japan on Sunday.
Sep 23, 2023 04:38 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: India's largest contingent so far
India have fielded a strong 655-member contingent, which is the largest by the country in the history of the competition.
However, this also gives athletes a platform to check where they stand as next we have the Paris Olympics, which will start in less than a year.
Sep 23, 2023 04:24 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Men's hockey team unlikely to take part in opening ceremony
The men's hockey team, on the other hand, start their Asian Games campaign on September 24 against Uzbekistan, which starts at 8.45 am. And this is why the hockey team could skip the opening ceremony.
A member of the team who didn't wish to be named told this newspaper: “We will hardly get any sleep if we attend the opening ceremony. Such functions are usually 5-6 hour affairs and are quite draining, so the team may skip the ceremony altogether.”
Sep 23, 2023 04:16 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Neeraj Chopra was India's flag-bearer last time
India's golden boy Neeraj Chopra was the flag-bearer the last time the continental event took place in Jakarta and Palembang.
Neeraj hads then won a gold medal and has since added an Olympic and a World's gold to his CV. He would have been India's flag-bearer for this edition too but athletics starts from September 29. Neeraj is expected to arrive in Hangzhou around then.
Sep 23, 2023 04:03 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: India's flag-bearers
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain and Men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh will be India's flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games.
This is the first time that the Asian Games will have two flag-bearers in the push for gender parity, on the lines of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
Sep 23, 2023 03:55 PM ISTAsian Games Opening Ceremony Live: Hello and welcome!
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Asian Games opening ceremony, which starts at 5:30 PM IST. The event will be held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium. Stay tuned for all the updates from the glittery opening ceremony!
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