Jakarta (VNA) - The AsianGames (ASIAD) 2018 was declared open by Indonesian President Joko Widodo late on August 18 during a colourful opening ceremony in Jakarta.

With the theme “Energy of Asia”, the organizers ofASIAD 2018 highlighted the strength of solidarity, sporting spirit, culturaldiversity, heritage and inheritance of quintessence from all countries andterritories participating in the continent’s biggest sport event.

The opening ceremony lasted for around threehours with the participation of 4,000 dancers, 20 singers and hundreds ofmusicians of Indonesia as well as celebrities from around the world, including15-year-old pianist Joey Alexander and female singer of Indonesian origin Anggun Sasmi.

Theceremony opened with a skit showing President Widodo doing stunts on amotorbike in Jakarta’s streets before riding into the Gelora Bung Karnostadium, to roars from the crowd.

About1,500 dancers in traditional dress then performed a tightly choreographedroutine before Afghanistan led the athletes’ parade into the stadium.


There werehuge cheers when the Republic ofKorea (RoK) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), whose athletes together number about 1,000, marched in together wearingpristine white and blue uniforms.

President Widodo was then seen dancing in his seat as Indonesiansinger Via Vallen took to the stage, before the stadium fell silent to honourthe victims of the recent Lombok earthquake.

"Youcan feel proud of your home country Indonesia," said Sheikh Ahmed Al-FahadAl-Sabah, President of the Olympic Council of Asia, before President Widododeclared the Games open, an announcement which triggered a volley of fireworks.

Itprovided a vibrant start to the Games, whose build-up has been dogged bylogistical headaches and security fears after Indonesia suffered its deadliestterror attack in a decade in May.

Indonesiahas also been grappling with its latest earthquake disaster after strongtremors in Lombok, an island in the east of the vast archipelago, left morethan 400 people dead.

About18,000 athletes and officials from 45 Asian countries and territories will be atthe ASIAD 2018, the organisers said, looking to make their mark across a range of sports fromswimming to sepak takraw and bridge.

The AsianGames encompass nearly the full Olympic programme and are considered thepinnacle by many participating nations, for whom Olympic success often proveselusive. 

Vietnam’s sports delegation to the ASIAD consists of 532 members,including 352 athletes. It aims to snatch at least three gold medals, with atleast one in an Olympic sports category. 


Right after the opening ceremony, a number of Vietnamese athletes in thesports of Taekwondo, Wushu, swimming, fencing and shooting, began competing atthe Games.

At theprevious Games, Vietnam pocketed one gold, 10 silver, and 25 bronze medals, ranking 21st in the overall medal tally.

The hosts Indonesia participated inthe ASIAD 2018 with 951 athletes, the largest number at this year’s event.-VNA