Nagoya/Aichi, Japan (Web Desk): Pakistan’s delegation was led by national women’s cricket captain Fatima Sana and emerging squash star Noor Zaman during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Japan on Saturday.
According to the Pakistan Olympic Association, Pakistan has sent 246 athletes to the continental sporting event, with competitors set to participate in 23 disciplines, including cricket, squash, hockey, athletics and esports. The Games will continue through October 4.
The 20th edition of the Asian Games officially got underway with a strong emphasis on unity, following a difficult period of preparations for the major multi-sport competition, which features a larger number of athletes than the Olympic Games.
Japan’s Emperor and Empress received a warm welcome as they took their places at the venue, while International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry was also present for the ceremony.
The first gold medal of the Games is expected to be decided on Sunday morning, with the men’s individual triathlon among the likely events to produce the opening champion. Athletes from across Asia will compete in more than 40 sports before the competition concludes on October 4.
The tournament, being staged across Nagoya and Aichi prefecture, also offers qualification opportunities for the 2028 Olympic Games in seven sports. Several internationally recognised athletes and promising young talents are taking part in the event.
However, preparations for the Games have been affected by a number of challenges.
Organisers faced considerable pressure while arranging accommodation for more than 11,000 athletes and around 6,000 officials.
In an effort to reduce expenses, the event does not have a conventional athletes’ village, with participants instead housed in temporary container-style units, hotels and the cruise ship Costa Serena.
Last week, heavy rainfall caused flooding in parts of Nagoya, while a typhoon moving towards eastern Japan has raised concerns about further interruptions during the Games.
The Olympic Council of Asia described the Games, which bring together athletes from 45 countries and territories, as particularly significant at the present time.
OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani said ahead of the opening ceremony that the event was intended to highlight Asian unity amid conflicts across the continent and political tensions in the Middle East.
Besides the host nation, China’s contingent received some of the loudest applause as its athletes entered the stadium.
China is once again expected to be a major force in the medal standings after dominating the delayed 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where it secured 201 gold medals and 383 medals overall.
Several competitions, including basketball, football and cricket, had already begun before the opening ceremony.
As has been the case since the Asian Games were first held in 1951, traditional Olympic disciplines such as athletics and swimming will feature alongside popular regional sports including sepak takraw and kabaddi.
The programme also includes esports, breakdancing and BMX cycling, while padel and mixed martial arts are being introduced to the Asian Games for the first time.
Among the notable participants are Philippine tennis star Alexandra Eala, 15-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and 13-year-old Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi.
Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting is also scheduled to compete, two years after securing Olympic gold in Paris amid a widely reported controversy over her eligibility.
North Korea has entered more than 100 athletes across 14 sports, with the delegation expressing the aim of bringing pride and joy to leader Kim Jong Un.
Sooyavanshi is part of India’s cricket squad, which will be looking to make an impression ahead of cricket’s return to the Olympic programme at the Los Angeles Games after an absence of 128 years.
India could potentially face Pakistan in the Asian Games cricket final at Nagoya’s newly constructed cricket venue, provided weather conditions do not disrupt the tournament.