As the schedule of the Hangzhou Asian Games enters its final day, with continuous teasers about the closing ceremony's highlights, this pan-Asian sports event is about to come to a close. A poet says "when I recall Jiangnan, Hangzhou brings back most of my memories." Hangzhou has fulfilled its promise of hosting a perfect Asian Games that is "green, smart, frugal, and civilized." When the sacred flame slowly extinguishes, it will leave behind beautiful memories and heartfelt farewells for Asia and the entire world.
It should be said that this has been a lively and festive Asian Games, and also a vibrant and modern event. In over half a month, the Hangzhou Asian Games has left people with memorable moments, including a surprising opening ceremony, touching moments of dedication and cooperation, the omnipresence of intelligent technology, and warm and attentive event services. From any perspective, this Games, with the highest number of events, participants, and the most complex competition organization in the history of Asian Games, has achieved tremendous success. Its success is expected, and has left a deep impression due to the countless surprises it brought.
Hangzhou, as one of China's most dynamic cities, has showcased China's openness and vitality to guests from various Asian countries and regions, while also building bridges of friendship and communication. For instance, the scene where athletes from China, Japan, and South Korea consoled each other and left the field together after the men's 1500m final was captured by many media outlets and received countless likes on Chinese social media. Learning from opponents during competition, fostering unity and friendship through competition - this is the true essence of sportsmanship and the way people and nations should interact. Beyond the intense sporting competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Games, there have been many respects and embraces, and the emotions they bring transcend sports itself.
What is especially commendable is that during the Hangzhou Asian Games, all activities have revolved around the sporting events themselves, and sports have not been exploited or influenced by other factors. In recent years, with changes in the international landscape, geopolitics has inevitably permeated various fields, creating conflicts and confrontations where they shouldn't exist, including in international sports events. The Hangzhou Asian Games has successfully resisted this negative influence, allowing the games to return to their essence. It has once again made the spirit of sports a bond that connects the hearts of different nations and ethnic groups.
This year's Asian Games has attracted participation from 45 countries and regions. Each country has its own unique national conditions and different systems and cultures. Some are among the wealthiest countries in the world and some are still struggling with political instability. However, on the Asian Games stage, regardless of which country or region they represent, athletes share the same starting line and move toward the same goal. As of Friday night, there were 15 world records, 28 Asian records, and 150 Asian Games records broken at the Hangzhou Asian Games, behind which is the relentless pursuit of "faster, higher, stronger - more united" by nearly 12,000 athletes. Each new record is greeted with sincere cheers and applause, regardless of the country or region the athlete is from.
For the Chinese people, "out of Asia, into the world" was once the nation's aspiration for the Asian Games. Every time a gold medal is won, it ignites an unparalleled sense of national pride among hundreds of millions of Chinese people. However, as various major sports events have been held in China in recent years, despite it still cheers for winning gold medals, Chinese society no longer sees it as the sole proof of the county's strength. Instead, it places greater emphasis on the spiritual essence of sports. This represents a significant psychological shift and demonstrates the collective maturity and confidence of Chinese society, behind which is the growth of China transitioning from being a major sporting nation to a leading sporting nation.
At the same time, hosting the Asian Games is no longer just about "bringing glory to the country." Its long-term effects will continue to play a role, not only in promoting local economy and sports industry development, but more importantly, it conveys a distinct value of "achieving self-realization through hard work." The short videos of athletes striving to surpass themselves quickly became popular on Chinese social platforms, precisely because the sprits they conveyed resonate with the mainstream values of Chinese society. From this, the outside world can gain a better understanding of the thoughts of Chinese society, which is to achieve dreams through hard work and strive for a better life.
In Hangzhou, Asia has experienced a wonderful time together. As the Hangzhou Asian Games, a sports festival, is about to come to an end, its spiritual power as a cultural event will continue to be timeless. It's hard to say goodbye to Hangzhou. We hope that its tangible material legacy will continue to contribute to the development of sports and society in this city, and we also look forward to its intangible spiritual legacy being carried to every corner of Asia and even the world with the help of everyone who has witnessed it.
Chinese President Xi Jinping extended a warm welcome to international dignitaries attending the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games at a welcoming banquet on Saturday noon in Hangzhou, East China's Province of Zhejiang Province.
Frankly, the majority of the 289 athletes in Hangzhou will likely be making up the numbers in their respective events. - NSTP/AIZUDDIN SAAD
Hangzhou Asian Games expected to begin with spectacular opening ceremony
"We hope that the charm of Hangzhou can be conveyed to the world through this Asian Games." The Hangzhou Asian Games, slated to open on Saturday, September 23,2023 is expected to impress the world with a spectacular opening ceremony. #GLOBALink
Hangzhou, China – The Asian Games are finally upon us.
Delayed by a year due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the 19th edition of the event is set to officially begin on Saturday in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou with a two-hour opening ceremony.
Dating back to 1951, the Games are bigger than the Olympics when it comes to the number of athletes and sports – and this year’s competition is billed as the biggest in history.
Nearly 12,500 athletes – more than ever – from 45 countries and territories will be competing across 40 sports.
“It is really a pleasure to see that, after the three years of pandemic, the interest that has been generated for these Games,” said Vinod Kumar Tiwari, acting director general of the Olympic Council of Asia.
“Because these will be the first Games that will be held without any restrictions … for the first time after the pandemic.”
The Games will be held in 56 venues, 12 of which have been newly built. The programme includes the more traditional events, such as athletics and swimming but also those which reflect Asia’s diverse sporting culture, such as sepak takraw, or kick volleyball; kabaddi, a mixture of team tag and wrestling; and wushu, a martial art.
China, as the host country, has the privilege of choosing which sports to include in the programme, with bridge, chess and Xiangqi (Chinese chess) being among the non-Olympic events featured in the schedule. Meanwhile, e-sports, breakdancing and sport climbing will be making their Games debut, in an effort to attract the interest of younger people.
0
FIFA Online 4, Street Fighter V and League of Legends are among the seven e-sport medal events.
“Together, we will celebrate the beauty and diversity of e-sports,” said Wissam Trkmani, the project and operations manager at the Olympic Council of Asia, speaking at the Road to Asian Games opening ceremony in June.
“May the Road to Asian Games be a testament to the incredible achievements and unwavering dedication of e-sports athletes in Asia.”
The Games will see participants competing for 481 gold medals across 15 days.
India’s javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is arguably the biggest star to look out for at the event. He won India’s first track-and-field Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and became the world champion in August.
Chopra, who also won the Asian Games title in 2018, has 6.2 million fans on Instagram which makes him the most followed athletics star other than Usain Bolt who retired in 2017.
Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim is the Olympic high-jump champion and will go in search of a third Asian Games title after winning gold in both 2010 and 2014.
The star of the 2018 Asian Games, Riako Ikee, will also be one of the big names to watch as swimming takes centre stage in the first week of competition.
Ikee won six gold medals for Japan in the previous Asian Games hosted by Indonesia and became the first female athlete to be named the Asian Games MVP.
She was then diagnosed with leukaemia but fought back to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
China has topped every Asian Games medal table since 1982 and is sending an 886-strong team to Hangzhou, including 13-year-old skateboarder Cui Chenxi and 60-year-old bridge player Dai Jianming.
“Be good hosts, conduct extensive friendly exchanges and demonstrate our country’s good image of reform and opening up, economic development, and social progress to Asian and international communities,” said China’s director of the National Sports Bureau, Gao Zhidan, at the team’s launch.
Gao also called for the athletes to “bring glory to the country, and fully demonstrate the immense power of China’s modern sports practice.”
Among China’s most likely medal hopefuls is swimmer Zhang Yufei.
The Olympic champion won the 100-metre butterfly at the world championships in Fukuoka earlier this year and will compete for up to seven golds in Hangzhou.
Her compatriot – 19-year-old rising star Pan Zhanle – is a favourite to win the 100-metre freestyle, having already lowered the Asian record twice in 2023.
The host nation is expected to dominate the diving events, as well as table tennis with two world number ones, Fan Zhendong and Sun Yingsha, both going for gold.
In badminton, fans will treated to two newly crowned world champions: Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn and An Seyoung of South Korea.
There is also great excitement for a potential clash between great cricket rivals India and Pakistan, after the former sent a team to the Asian Games for the first time.
The closing ceremony on October 8 will include the handover to Japan before the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games. Qatar will host the Asian Games in 2030.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the highly expected 19th Asian Games to be in Hangzhou from Friday to Saturday and will hold a welcoming banquet and bilateral ...
No one will doubt the level of organization and the splendor of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Final Rehearsal for 19th Asian Games Opening Ceremony Held in Hangzhou
https://youtu.be/qsR9OML0u0w?si=OAafEY4L6fUTBPTN
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture
By Deng Zijun and Zhang MingyuePublished: Sep 12, 2023 10:37 PM
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GTD
0ASIAN%20GAMES.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Hangzhou Asian Games (globaltimes.cn)
Hangzhou Asian Games expected to begin with spectacular opening ceremony
"We hope that the charm of Hangzhou can be conveyed to the world through this Asian Games." The Hangzhou Asian Games, slated to open on Saturday, September 23,2023 is expected to impress the world with a spectacular opening ceremony. #GLOBALink
Hangzhou, China – The Asian Games are finally upon us.
Delayed by a year due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the 19th edition of the event is set to officially begin on Saturday in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou with a two-hour opening ceremony.
Dating back to 1951, the Games are bigger than the Olympics when it comes to the number of athletes and sports – and this year’s competition is billed as the biggest in history.
Nearly 12,500 athletes – more than ever – from 45 countries and territories will be competing across 40 sports.
“It is really a pleasure to see that, after the three years of pandemic, the interest that has been generated for these Games,” said Vinod Kumar Tiwari, acting director general of the Olympic Council of Asia.
“Because these will be the first Games that will be held without any restrictions … for the first time after the pandemic.”
The Games will be held in 56 venues, 12 of which have been newly built. The programme includes the more traditional events, such as athletics and swimming but also those which reflect Asia’s diverse sporting culture, such as sepak takraw, or kick volleyball; kabaddi, a mixture of team tag and wrestling; and wushu, a martial art.
China, as the host country, has the privilege of choosing which sports to include in the programme, with bridge, chess and Xiangqi (Chinese chess) being among the non-Olympic events featured in the schedule. Meanwhile, e-sports, breakdancing and sport climbing will be making their Games debut, in an effort to attract the interest of younger people.
0
FIFA Online 4, Street Fighter V and League of Legends are among the seven e-sport medal events.
“Together, we will celebrate the beauty and diversity of e-sports,” said Wissam Trkmani, the project and operations manager at the Olympic Council of Asia, speaking at the Road to Asian Games opening ceremony in June.
“May the Road to Asian Games be a testament to the incredible achievements and unwavering dedication of e-sports athletes in Asia.”
The Games will see participants competing for 481 gold medals across 15 days.
India’s javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is arguably the biggest star to look out for at the event. He won India’s first track-and-field Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and became the world champion in August.
Chopra, who also won the Asian Games title in 2018, has 6.2 million fans on Instagram which makes him the most followed athletics star other than Usain Bolt who retired in 2017.
Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim is the Olympic high-jump champion and will go in search of a third Asian Games title after winning gold in both 2010 and 2014.
The star of the 2018 Asian Games, Riako Ikee, will also be one of the big names to watch as swimming takes centre stage in the first week of competition.
Ikee won six gold medals for Japan in the previous Asian Games hosted by Indonesia and became the first female athlete to be named the Asian Games MVP.
She was then diagnosed with leukaemia but fought back to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
China has topped every Asian Games medal table since 1982 and is sending an 886-strong team to Hangzhou, including 13-year-old skateboarder Cui Chenxi and 60-year-old bridge player Dai Jianming.
“Be good hosts, conduct extensive friendly exchanges and demonstrate our country’s good image of reform and opening up, economic development, and social progress to Asian and international communities,” said China’s director of the National Sports Bureau, Gao Zhidan, at the team’s launch.
Gao also called for the athletes to “bring glory to the country, and fully demonstrate the immense power of China’s modern sports practice.”
Among China’s most likely medal hopefuls is swimmer Zhang Yufei.
The Olympic champion won the 100-metre butterfly at the world championships in Fukuoka earlier this year and will compete for up to seven golds in Hangzhou.
Her compatriot – 19-year-old rising star Pan Zhanle – is a favourite to win the 100-metre freestyle, having already lowered the Asian record twice in 2023.
The host nation is expected to dominate the diving events, as well as table tennis with two world number ones, Fan Zhendong and Sun Yingsha, both going for gold.
In badminton, fans will treated to two newly crowned world champions: Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn and An Seyoung of South Korea.
There is also great excitement for a potential clash between great cricket rivals India and Pakistan, after the former sent a team to the Asian Games for the first time.
The closing ceremony on October 8 will include the handover to Japan before the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games. Qatar will host the Asian Games in 2030.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the highly expected 19th Asian Games to be in Hangzhou from Friday to Saturday and will hold a welcoming banquet and bilateral ...
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture
By Deng Zijun and Zhang MingyuePublished: Sep 12, 2023 10:37 PM
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
When Hangzhou Asian Games meets Chinese culture Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT
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Penang Golf Club, the only championship 18-hole golf course on Penang island, has gone through a makeover making it a challenging and exciting venue for golfers.
The Robert Trent Jones Jr designed golf course, situated on the slopes of the Jambul Hill, has Bermuda grass shaping the tee boxes and
fairways and tif eagle covering the greens with luscious vegetation surrounding it to bring players as close to nature as possible.
Locals and visitors who have numerous sights to enjoy on the island known as the “Pearl of the Orient” including recognised World Heritage Sites now can add a memorable game of golf into their itinerary.
The Penang Golf Club, which was formerly called Bukit Jambul Golf Club, has a rich history since it opened in 1984 and was the venue for the 31st Malaysian Open in 1992 which was won by Vijay Singh. It had a new facelift and reopened on November, 2012.
Pine, Palm, Durian, Rambutan, Skyfruit, Angsana, Yellow Flame, Pulai, Tecoma, Neem and other tall trees add character to the golf course which also provide a panoramic view of different parts of Penang, including the two bridges which link Penang to the mainland, which can be seen from different holes. The 6,393 yards (5,848 metres) par 72 course has sand bunkers at strategic places, water hazards encroaching into the playing area and rolling fairways which are characteristics that are similar to golf courses in Japan.
The 32-bay, two-tier, driving range which is 250 metres long provides practice for budding golfers and those who want to hone their skills. Professional lessons are also available for those interested in taking up the game with Japanese and local staff at hand to make the players feel at home.
The Sakurajima Restaurant in the clubhouse has large and small private rooms that serves Japanese and Chinese cuisine and is tocked
with a variety of well-known “Sake” and “Shochu” from Kagoshima, Japan.
A 10-minute drive from the airport will bring you to Penang
Golf Club while accommodation is convenient with the five-star Equatorial Hotel located a stone’s throw away.
Penang which is famous for its sight-seeing, shopping and entertainment beckons you with the additional lure of an exciting round of golf. So when you plan your next holiday, make sure Penang Golf Club is on the agenda.
Membership for sales, text message to richard: 6012-4860539
Hangzhou Asian Games (globaltimes.cn)
