The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games open as Malaysia chases six golds amid logistical complaints

NAGOYA: The 20th Asian Games opened at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium here on Saturday, ending Japan's 32-year wait to host the continent's largest sporting event again.

The opening ceremony began at 6pm local time under the theme Harmonic Heart Beat, directed by the filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi. Among those present were Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, and International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry.

Forty-five contingents took part in the opening parade. The Games feature 469 medal events across 43 sports through to October 4, with more than 11,000 athletes competing.

Nagoya becomes the third Japanese city to host the Asian Games, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.

The Malaysian contingent

Malaysia is competing for the 19th consecutive time with 352 athletes and 185 officials across 30 of the 43 sports. Of the athletes, 202 are men and 150 women, and 110 are under 21.

The flag bearers at the opening parade were the wushu athlete Tan Cheong Min and the sprinter Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi.

The chef de mission, Datuk Sumali Reduan, has set a target of 33 medals: six gold, seven silver and 20 bronze.

"This target is not just a number. It is a guide and a motivation for the whole contingent," he said.

The main medal hopes include track cycling, badminton, archery, diving, squash, sepak takraw, hockey, athletics, sailing, karate, wushu, esports and shooting.

The Malaysian para contingent has 73 athletes and 42 officials, with a target of 34 medals: six gold, 10 silver and 18 bronze.

Trouble before the curtain went up

The build-up was not smooth. Organisers had planned for 15,000 participants, but the actual figure passed 17,000 once events were added, forcing accommodation into unusual arrangements.

About 4,000 athletes were housed on the cruise ship Costa Serena, 2,000 more in container-style units at the Port of Nagoya, and the rest in existing hotels.

Heavy rain exposed the weaknesses of the container units. The South Korean basketball player Byun Jun-hyung posted video of a flooded bathroom with a plea for help. His country's men's basketball team complained that the containers were too cramped for players averaging close to two metres in height.

Transport failed too. Buses carrying the South Korean and Qatari men's football teams were sent to a nearby baseball stadium instead of the Mizuho Rugby Stadium, disrupting their preparations. Vietnam's women's volleyball team was dropped at the wrong hotel.

Japan's own delegation complained of mix-ups and double bookings, while India's cricket board arranged its own hotel rooms after a tight allocation of beds from organisers.

The Olympic Council of Asia president, Sheikh Joaan, said the problems were being dealt with.

"From what I've seen, the local authorities here have been solving any issues that are happening, and I think now that everyone is settled, everything is hopefully being on track," he said.

The competition schedule was also changed on August 19, a month before the opening ceremony, cancelling some events and voiding spectator tickets.