Asian Games 2023 Opening ceremony highlights: Chinese president Xi Jinping declares the Games open
Asian Games opening ceremony Highlights: Chinese president Xi Jinping declared the Asian Games open in Hangzhou.
FP Sports Last Updated:September 23, 2023 19:55:30 IST Auto refresh feeds 
The Asian Games opening ceremony takes place on Saturday. PTI
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Sept 23, 2023 – 19:53 (IST)
That's all we have for you from our coverage of the opening ceremony of the 2023 Asian Games. We hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, it's goodbye and wish you a happy weekend ahead!
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
The wait is over. The torch-lighting ceremony takes place, and some athletes parade in the centre with the torch.
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
Cultural entertainment continues. A special dance with some light effects are on display. That showcases the rich heritage of China.
The mascots steal the limelight!
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
The OCA flag has been officially hoisted. Once that's done, two Chinese athletes take oath and that is followed by a video that represents China's culture, that is played on the screen.
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
Xi Jinping, Chinese president, officially declares the Asian Games open!
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
Randhir Singh, the acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia, addresses the crowd. He talks largely in English, while also mentioning a few Chinese phrases.
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
The flagbearers of the respective countries assemble at the centre of the stadium in Hangzho, officially marking the beginning of the 19th Asian Games.
Asian Games opening ceremony LIVE
China, the hosts, are the last nation to make their entrance. This time, China will field an 887-member contingent this time around. The president of the 2023 Asian Games, Wang Hao, addresses the crowd in Chinese.
Preview: Asian Games officially gets underway in Hangzhou on Saturday. India will field 665 athletes across 40 disciplines, and while the Games only get underway on Saturday, some of the sporting action have already commenced.
This includes women’s cricket, where the India women’s cricket team qualified for the semi-finals. They will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-finals.
The India men’s volleyball team, meanwhile, have made a name for themselves in the Asian Games this time around. They stunned South Korea, while also beating Chinese Taipei to reach the quarter-finals.
The opening ceremony in Hangzhou starts at 5.30 pm IST. For India, men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and boxer Lovlina Borgohain will be the flagbearers.
