All set for the show to start Asian Games

The curtain on the 18th Asian Games, the world's second-largest multisport event, will rise at the iconic Gelora Bung Karo Stadium in Jakarta today.

Around 10,000 athletes and 7000 officials and journalists will be a part of this two-week sporting spectacle, which will be held for the second time in Indonesia.

The iconic Gelora Bung Karno Stadium is all set to stage a close to three-hour opening ceremony. Medals in 465 events of 40 sports and 67 disciplines will be settled between athletes from 45 Asian countries.

The details of the opening ceremony have been kept secret, and the organisers cancelled a pre-event press conference on Friday. However, a sneak peek into the main venue during the afternoon yesterday gave the impression that the rich biodiversity of this island nation will be at the centre of the show.

Indonesia stepped in to stage these Games after original hosts Vietnam pulled out in 2014 due to financial concerns. They have done a pretty commendable job so far, however the final verdict will only be out after the completion of the Games.

The Games may not feature world stars such as Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps or Rafael Nadal to light up the occasion, but there will be no shortage of world champions. China's three-time Olympic champion Sun Yang, Singaporean Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling, South Korean footballer Son Heung-min, India's badminton players PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will surely add to the glamour quotient.

The people of Indonesia are in a festive mood as they celebrated the country's 73rd Independence Day on the eve of the opening day of the Games. Two occasions for celebration has turned the atmosphere in this otherwise business-like city into a festive one and the party spell is set to continue for the next two weeks.

Source: thedailystar