Festival for a brighter future for Asia

An athlete jumps in the air and kicks a ball for a spike. This is the dynamic sport of Sepaktakraw, which began in Southeast Asia in the 15th century. Kabaddi, which is from India, is a unique sight to watch, combining Tag and wrestling. These sports encompassing Asia’s traditional culture and contemporary sports cannot be seen in the Olympic Games. The 2014 Incheon Asian Games, which provide these games among a total of 36 sports and 439 gold medals, has started.

Beginning with the opening ceremony in the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on Friday through October 4, the festival of 4.5 billion Asians will show for 16 days under the slogan “Diversity Shines Here.” It is the third time the Asian Games are being held in Korea, following the 1986 Seoul Asiad and the 2002 Busan Asiad. The city of Incheon hopes this event will bring enormous economic repercussions as well as boosting it into an international city.

This 2014 Incheon Asiad is the first Asian Games where athletes from all 45 member nations of the Olympic Council of Asia, including both Koreas as well as Palestine and Syria, which are torn by conflict, will take part. The number of athletes is the most in Asiad history with 14,500 competing. South Korea targets ending second in the medal tally for the fifth consecutive time with more than 90 gold medals. North Korea has sent 150 athletes to compete in 14 events including soccer, weightlifting and shooting. Interest is high in whether the two Koreas can reconcile through sports.

This event is a rare one to enjoy the feats of the world’s top stars. Asian athletes who are the top in table tennis, badminton and wrestling, are out in full force. The showdown in swimming between Korea’s top swimmer Park Tae-hwan and China’s Sun Yang, and rhythmic gymnasts between Korea’s Son Yeon-jae and China’s Deng Senyue are also drawing attention.

The success of an international sports event is decided by the interest in and enthusiasm of the public. The fighting spirit and passion of the athletes who are pushing the envelope may kindle the public’s dormant fighting spirit and passion. Asia, which is home to 4.5 billion and more than half the global population, has diverse cultures flourishing as befits its vast terrain. Although there are conflicts and disputes, we hope this Asiad will reconfirm the bonds and empathy among Asians.