Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the 19th Asian Games open on Saturday night at the lotus-shaped Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, in the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) and chairman of the Saudi delegation, and a number of heads of international and Asian sports federations. From September 23 to October 8, the Hangzhou Asian Games will feature 40 sports, 61 disciplines, and 481 events.
The opening ceremony also witnessed the presence of Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, the vice president of SOPC and deputy chairman of the Saudi mission, Prince Abdullah bin Fahd bin Abdullah, the director of the Saudi delegation.
President of the International Olympic Committee Dr. Thomas Bach and Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Raja Randhir Singh attended the opening ceremony.
The Hangzhou Asian Games, postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marks the third time China has hosted the Asiad, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s flag was carried during the Saudi delegation’s march in the parade queue by the athlete Dunia Abu Talib and the equestrian competitor Ahmed Al-Sharbatly, who expressed their pride in raising the kingdom’s flag in the grand Asian event, wishing that they would be successful in providing a level that reflects the support and interest provided by the kingdom’s leadership to sports sector.
Source: Saudi Press Agency