Coverage of the 8th Asian Winter Games Proudly Sponsored by the Olympic Council of Asia.
(ATR) Famed Japanese ski jumper Masahiko "Happy" Harada lit the cauldron as the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra played to start the 8th Asian Winter Games.
The AWG opening ceremony took place in front of an estimated 20,000 fans at the downtown Sapporo Dome. The theme of the ceremony was ‘Welcome to a winter of building connections."
After coming up short in Lillehammer ’94, Harada and his three Japanese teammates thrilled a nation, winning the large hill team gold in front of home fans at the Nagano 1998 Games. The flame lighting was another proud moment for Harada and the citizens of Sapporo.
The flame will burn for the next seven days in the 1972 Olympic city as top Asian winter sports athletes compete on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido’s ice and snow. Seven of the 12 venues being utilized date back to the Sapporo 1972 Games.
Thirty-two countries marched in the Parade of Nations. The People’s Republic of China were the first in the procession, while host nation Japan expectedly received the loudest welcome.
Australia and New Zealand contingents were included as athletes from the two Oceania countries are guests of the Olympic Council of Asia in Sapporo. While they will compete at an Asian Games for the first time, they are not eligible to win medals.
The president of the 8th edition of the Asian Winter Games and Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto declared the Games officially open.
OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah wished the athletes well, emphasizing that the Sapporo Games will play a major role in the development of winter sports in Asia as the next two Winter Olympics will be held on the continent.
"Kon-Ban-Wah (good evening) – it is a great pleasure and honor to return to the beautiful city of Sapporo," said Sheikh Ahmad, addressing athletes, officials and fans gathered on Sunday evening in Sapporo. "This will be the third time Sapporo has hosted Asian Winter Games and we thank you for your loyal support to the Olympic Council of Asia over so many years.
"We are sure the athletes, officials and spectators can look forward to a world-class Asian Winter Games," he said. "Sapporo and Japan has played a big part in the development of winter sports. Throughout Asia, you have been our pioneers.
"This can be seen here in the number of entries from all five regions of Asia and some Oceania countries. We have teams from desert, tropical and seaside countries, which have no winter infrastructure."
Sheikh Ahmad also had the honor of awarding the first medals of the Games.
Eri Yanetani of Japan won the women’s snowboard giant slalom, while Sang-ho Lee of Korea took top honors in the men’s event earlier on Sunday.
While snowboarding, ice hockey and curling are already underway, action begins Monday for athletes in cross-country skiing, speed skating and short track speed skating.
Click here to view more photos of the opening ceremony.
Reported and written by Brian Pinelli in Sapporo, Japan.
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