17th Asian Games Kicks off with Opening Ceremony in Incheon

Incheon, South Korea (PNA/Kyodo) — The 17th Asian Games kicked off Friday evening with a lavish opening ceremony to mark the start of the multi-sport tournament in Incheon, South Korea.

The ceremony at Asiad Main Stadium, which will feature performances by “Gangnam Style” singer PSY and other Korean pop starts, is the opening showcase for the 16-day event in which nearly 10,000 athletes will compete for 439 gold medals in 36 sports from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.

Both the opening and closing ceremonies are being directed by South Korea movie director Im Kwon Taek with playwright and actor Jang Jin as the artistic director and also feature celebrities, such as opera singer Sumi Jo and Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang.

Japan, which is sending a 1,069-member delegation, will be led into the stadium by team captain and London Olympic weightlifting silver medalist Hiromi Miyake and archer Kaori Kawanaka as flag bearer.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach attended with other dignitaries, including Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe.

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong Bok, whose city has come under fire due to concerns of costs and looming potential debt after the Games are through, gave a welcoming address.

Despite the enthusiasm from the Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee (IAGOC), ticket sales have lagged, save for a few events featuring South Korean sports stars such as Beijing Olympic champion swimmer Park Tae Hwan.

The Games, taking place in this port city west of Seoul, are a testing ground for many young athletes ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Games six years from now.

The 62,000-seat main stadium is one of 17 new venues, which also include a state-of-the-art aquatic center and a new golf course covering an old landfill, built for the Games.

North Korea, still technically at war with South Korea after an armistice following the 1950-53 Korean War, has sent a contingent of 150 athletes, who will march into the stadium separately from its southern neighbor.

For Japan, the Games are its first large international multi-sport competition since Tokyo won the bid to host the 2020 Game last September. (PNA/Kyodo) LGI/RSM

Image Credit: zeenews.india.com