Sports / Games News
Asian Games opens in spectacular style
(AP)
Updated: 2006-12-02 13:36
DOHA, Qatar _ The Asian Games officially opened with a spectacle of
pyrotechnics, animatronics and boundless enthusiasm Friday as the people
of Doha welcomed their region's biggest ever sporting event.
Fireworks explode over the Khalifa Stadium during the opening ceremony of
the 15th Asian Games in Doha December 1, 2006. [Reuters]
Some 50,000 spectators packed the revamped Khalifa Stadium for the
opening ceremonies, which started in steady rain.
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge was among them,
as was Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, head of Qatar's royal family.
Other guests included Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Palestinian
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The torch relay concluded in style. Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al
Thani, son of the emir and captain of the Qatar equestrian endurance
team, emerged on horseback from a platform that rose from the center of
the field to carry the Asian Games torch the final leg of its journey.
In a dramatic finale Al Thani rode the steed up stairs for the full
height of the stadium to light a giant gyroscope-like cauldron as
fireworks blazed in the background.
For the majority of the 10,500 athletes from 45 nations and territories
attending these games, the opening ceremony signaled the end of years of
preparation and expectation. For the people of Qatar it represented an
opportunity to put their small, but wealthy, desert nation in the world's
spotlight.
The details of the opening ceremonies, put together by David Atkins,
creative director of the Sydney Games opener in 2000, were kept secret
leading up to Friday.
"This ceremony, in all seriousness, is far more ambitious and greater in
scale and scope than the Sydney ceremony," Atkins said this week.
The resulting spectacular appeared to live up to expectations, with the
combination of live performance and hi-tech props prompting regular roars
and applause in the sold out stadium, which will host the games athletics
competition.
Each spectator was given a package of items that enabled them to interact
with the performance.
At a cue from the ground announcer, the stadium was transformed into a
sea of illuminated orbs, flashing glow sticks, whirling fans or Qatari
national flags.
Meanwhile, large sections of the stadium were dominated by black and
white, as many of the men wore the traditional white, Arabic ankle-length
shirt, or thobe, while great numbers of the women wore the black abaya
and scarf.
The performance inside the stadium was aided by a giant viewing screen
spanning the top of the eastern stand, projecting backdrops and other
visual effects.
Hong Kong popstar Jacky Cheung, Indian Bollywood star Sunidhi Chauhan,
Lebanese artist Magida El Roumi and Spanish tenor Jose Carreras were
among the performers.
1 2
Top Sports News
� Ma: I'll do better than Rooney
� China reaps victories in soccer, table tennis
� Barca aim to better the "dream team" in Club World Cup
� Boca have chance to clinch third title in a row
� China makes semis at women's table tennis
Today's Top News
� WB: Poverty relief efforts impressive
� 'New, old media can grow together'
� Asian Games opens in spectacular style
� Nation's youngest tycoon behind bars
� New domestic AIDS therapy effective, less costly
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Learn Chinese, Chinese Mandarin, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment