Asian Games Opening Highlights: Incheon Displays the Best of Asia to the World; Games Begin on a Grand High
The 17th edition of Asian Games kicked off at Incheon with a grand opening ceremony on Friday. Catch all the highlights here.
The 17th edition of the Asian Games are now officially open. The Indian contingent has set a target of 70-75 medals and the participants will be boosted by their performances in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games. With 36 disciplines, 45 countries, 49 venues, 439 gold medals at stake, the Asian Games kicked off with a grand opening ceremony at Incheon, South Korea. Catch all the highlights from the opening ceremony here.
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18:34 (IST): Get ready for 2 weeks of exhilarating sports! What a start it has been! The night view of Incheon looks fabulous!
18:31 (IST): The Gangnam magic has now invaded the hearts of the athletes too and they can't stop dancing!
18:30 (IST): This is clearly the best moment of the Games so far. Sadly, it's the end too. Gangnam Style takes over!ÂÂ
18:28 (IST): Time for Gangnam style to take over the Games! Magic about to fill the opening ceremony stadium.
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18:26 (IST): The Gangnam-style famed Psy now performs hit song 'Champion' and the crowd roars with joy!
18:24 (IST): Time for the piano! And it all mixes with drums, orchestra and more!
18:19 (IST): A sea of fireworks now fills the opening ceremony ground & the attention returns to the main stage again. The song and dance continues!
18:13 (IST): Local artists now fill the stadium with sweet music as the torch-bearers shake hands with the crowd.
18:08 (IST): The flame has been lit and the torch is now being passed out.
18:05 (IST): The oath ceremony is taking place now. The Games have already been opened officially.
17:58 (IST): The 2014 Games in Incheon, South Korea have now been officially opened!ÂÂ
17:56 (IST): The President of the Republic of Korea about to officially open the Games now!
17:45 (IST): A total of 60,000 spectators have collected to witness the opening ceremony. The flame about to be lit. The Games symbolize peace and harmony.
17:42 (IST): All 45 contingents have now made their way into the ground and dancers keep the crowd going. The host nation of South Korea was the last one to take its position.
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17:40 (IST): Next out is the Philippines contingent. A total of 150 athletes will represent a large group of islands.
17:38 (IST): A huge cheer welcomes the Palestine contingent. They have just won one medal so far in the Games at Busan.
17:36 (IST): Time for the Pakistani contingent to walk out now. Mohammad Imran will lead them.
17:34 (IST): The Thai delegation walks out. A total of 517 athletes will represent Thailand at the 2014 Games.
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17:25 (IST): Flagbearers carry the South Korean flag during the opening ceremony.
17:18 (IST): And it's now the Indian delegation that walks out holding flags in their hands. Sardar Singh is leading!
17:11 (IST): Sri Lanka, one of the founding members of the Games, now make their way into the stadium.
17:09 (IST): The Bhutan contingent is the second smallest one at the 2014 Games in Incheon, comprising 16 athletes.
17:06 (IST): The Bangladeshi delegation walks out now. A total of 136 athletes will represent them at Incheon.
16:59 (IST): The East Timor contingent is now walking across the stadium. They are yet to win a medal in the Games.
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16:58 (IST): Time for introduction of the teams now. The athletes will walk out & we move a step closer to the official opening.
16:53 (IST): The national anthem of South Korea is now being performed by professional musicians.
16:50 (IST): Saudi Arabia has sent nearly 200 male athletes but no women after sending female athletes to the 2012 Summer Olympics for the first time.
16:45 (IST): A ship sails through the stadium representing a new, modern Asia. We move a step closer to the official opening of the Games.
16:43 (IST): Indonesia are widely expected to be named as hosts of the next Games in 2018.
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16:40 (IST): Syria has sent a small delegation of athletes despite the civil war there.
16:39 (IST): India will have their biggest women's tennis star, Sania Mirza, a six-time Asian Games medallist.
16.19 (IST): First Asian Games were held in 1951 in New Delhi. 11 nations and 489 athletes competed in six sports, 57 events.
16.10 (IST): Factoid: China have finished leaders of gold medal count in all the edition of the Asian Games since 1982
16.00 (IST): Fireworks fill the Incheon sky during the opening ceremony.
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15.55 (IST): Indian PM Narendra Modi had words of encouragement for the Indian contingent.
My best wishes to our athletes for 2014 Asian Games at Incheon. I am sure they will make India proud! @incheonAG2014en
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 19, 2014
15.53 (IST): The local drummers started the proceedings at Incheon.
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15.50 (IST): The countdown is done, the fireworks and music have begun. The opening ceremony is now live.
15.47 (IST): A total of 13000 athletes will take part in 439 events.
15.40 (IST): The opening ceremony of the 17th edition of the Asian Games is set to underway at Incheon.
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15.35 (IST): A lot of focus will also be on India's Yogeshwar Dutt. Can he break the wrestling gold drought?
15.25 (IST): After a solid performance at the CWG, the Indian contingent will be confidently led by hockey skipper Sardar Singh.
15.20 (IST): With 36 disciplines, 45 countries, 49 venues, 439 gold medals at stake, the 17th edition of the Asian Games is ready to kick-off at Incheon.
Asian Games Set for 'Gangnum' Start
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"Gangnam Style" singer Psy will headline the Incheon Asian Games opening ceremony as one of the world's biggest sports events kicks off in a blaze of music and colour.
The pop phenomenon with the world-famous dance will close a lavish spectacle at a new stadium in the South Korean city, heralding the start of 15 days of competition with 9,500 athletes. (Read more)
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After CWG success, India aim for more at Incheon
Bolstered by a better-than-expected performance in the Commonwealth Games, Indian athletes will look to assert themselves against the sporting might of continental powerhouses such as China and Japan in the 17th Asian Games.
A total haul of 64 medals in the CWG held in July-August, which included 15 of the golden hue, should act as the ideal springboard for the Indian contingent to better the medal tally claimed at Guangzhou, China, four years ago. (Read more)
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Sardar Singh to be India's flag-bearer
Ending the suspense over who would be the Indian contingent's flag bearer at Friday's 17th Asian Games opening ceremony at Incheon, men's hockey team captain Sardar Singh was on Thursday, bestowed with the honour.
"The flag bearer will be Sardar Singh, captain of the men's hockey team. Actually all the people were asked and we have been trying to ask the coaches about who is available. They all have matches the next day or the day after and none wanted to stand outside the stadium from 12 noon to 4 pm (before the parade). Sardar does not have a match. He was happy to do so," said Chef-de-Mission Adille Sumariwalla. (Read more)