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19th Asian Games Officially Opens With Spectacular Digital Cauldron-Lighting Ceremony
A review of the highlights of the stunning opening ceremony for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou. Photo: Xia Yang / HAGOC / 19th Asian Games
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the 19th Asian Games open on Saturday, September 23, 2023, amid an a spectacle at the lotus-shaped Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, located in the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.
The opening ceremony of the Games reached an unprecedented climax with a dazzling digital cauldron-lighting ceremony. Millions of torchbearers came together to transform digital flames into a striking digital human figure on the Qiantang River before jointly igniting the cauldron. This symbolic moment was shared with swimming Olympic champion Wang Shun, who was the last of six athletes participating in the relay carrying the actual flame inside the stadium.
The Hangzhou Asian Games, originally scheduled for the previous year but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marks China's third time hosting the Asiad, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
Raja Randhir Singh, acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), praised the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) in his address during the opening ceremony. Singh commended their dedication and determination in preparing for the Games despite the one-year postponement, stating, "Your diligence and determination will bear fruit over the next 16 days, and you will be rewarded with the most magnificent and successful Asian Games ever."
HAGOC president Wang Hao extended a warm welcome on behalf of the organizers and the 65 million people in Zhejiang to athletes from various Asian countries and regions. Wang expressed hope that these athletes would compete with passion, challenge personal limits, strive for excellence, and realize their dreams.
Gao Zhidan, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), emphasized the organizers' readiness to present a magnificent Asian Games and called for honoring the Olympic spirit, setting new records in Asian sports, and fostering a shared future for the Asian community.
The opening ceremony featured athletes entering in alphabetical order based on their national or regional Olympic Committee names, with women's basketball team captain Yang Liwei and swimming world champion Qin Haiyang proudly carrying the Chinese national flag, eliciting cheers from the audience.
Under the theme "Tides Surging in Asia," water played a central role throughout the cultural performance, symbolizing the Qiantang River's memories, the excitement of sports, Zhejiang's spirit, and the pulse of the times. This theme illustrated the profound connection between China, Asia, and the wider world.
Notable in the ceremony was the absence of traditional fireworks. Instead, the audience was treated to the spectacle of electronic smokeless fireworks, achieved through 3D animation and augmented reality.
The opening ceremony was attended by numerous state leaders and international dignitaries, including King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, and many others, highlighting the global significance of the event.
From September 23 to October 8, the Hangzhou Asian Games will feature 40 sports, 61 disciplines, and 481 events, with 74 quota slots available for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games across nine sports. China, the host nation, is well-represented with 886 athletes competing in 407 events across 38 sports. The stage is set for two weeks of thrilling competition and international camaraderie in the heart of Zhejiang Province.
The opening ceremony of the Games reached an unprecedented climax with a dazzling digital cauldron-lighting ceremony. Millions of torchbearers came together to transform digital flames into a striking digital human figure on the Qiantang River before jointly igniting the cauldron. This symbolic moment was shared with swimming Olympic champion Wang Shun, who was the last of six athletes participating in the relay carrying the actual flame inside the stadium.
The Hangzhou Asian Games, originally scheduled for the previous year but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marks China's third time hosting the Asiad, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
Raja Randhir Singh, acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), praised the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) in his address during the opening ceremony. Singh commended their dedication and determination in preparing for the Games despite the one-year postponement, stating, "Your diligence and determination will bear fruit over the next 16 days, and you will be rewarded with the most magnificent and successful Asian Games ever."
HAGOC president Wang Hao extended a warm welcome on behalf of the organizers and the 65 million people in Zhejiang to athletes from various Asian countries and regions. Wang expressed hope that these athletes would compete with passion, challenge personal limits, strive for excellence, and realize their dreams.
Gao Zhidan, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), emphasized the organizers' readiness to present a magnificent Asian Games and called for honoring the Olympic spirit, setting new records in Asian sports, and fostering a shared future for the Asian community.
The opening ceremony featured athletes entering in alphabetical order based on their national or regional Olympic Committee names, with women's basketball team captain Yang Liwei and swimming world champion Qin Haiyang proudly carrying the Chinese national flag, eliciting cheers from the audience.
Under the theme "Tides Surging in Asia," water played a central role throughout the cultural performance, symbolizing the Qiantang River's memories, the excitement of sports, Zhejiang's spirit, and the pulse of the times. This theme illustrated the profound connection between China, Asia, and the wider world.
Notable in the ceremony was the absence of traditional fireworks. Instead, the audience was treated to the spectacle of electronic smokeless fireworks, achieved through 3D animation and augmented reality.
The opening ceremony was attended by numerous state leaders and international dignitaries, including King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, and many others, highlighting the global significance of the event.
From September 23 to October 8, the Hangzhou Asian Games will feature 40 sports, 61 disciplines, and 481 events, with 74 quota slots available for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games across nine sports. China, the host nation, is well-represented with 886 athletes competing in 407 events across 38 sports. The stage is set for two weeks of thrilling competition and international camaraderie in the heart of Zhejiang Province.
Sep 24, 2023
