Cover News Reporter Ji Xing
At 18:00 local time on September 19th (17:00 Beijing time on the 19th), the opening ceremony of the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games was held at the Mizuho Park Stadium in Nagoya, Japan. The Chinese delegation made its seventh appearance at the opening ceremony and began its journey to this Asian Games.
On September 19, the Chinese sports delegation entered the venue at the opening ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
815 athletes from the Chinese delegation strive for great results
SPORTS
At the entrance ceremony, in addition to the host Japan and the refugee delegation, the 44 participating country or region delegations entered the venue in the order of their English names and took their seats in the venue. Led by the flag bearers men’s basketball player Hu Mingxuan and women’s boxer Wu Yu, the Chinese sports delegation entered the venue for the seventh time. The dark casual suits of the male players and the light blue suits of the female players are eye-catching. However, according to Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese table tennis team will not participate in today’s opening ceremony due to competition obligations the next day.
At this Asian Games, the Chinese delegation consists of 1,274 people, 815 athletes (404 women, 411 men), and will participate in 38 major events and 369 minor events. Among them, 50 athletes from Sichuan will also strive for good results. The average age of participating athletes is 24 years old, the oldest is 41 years old, and the youngest is 12 years old. “Post-2005” account for 27% of the total number of athletes, and they are a lineup that combines old and new players.
On September 19, the Chinese sports delegation entered the venue at the opening ceremony. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Lu Xiaowei)
The Chinese sports delegation will comprehensively test the effectiveness of the team’s preparations through this Asian Games, strive for excellent results, lay a solid foundation for preparations for the Los Angeles Olympics, and strive to achieve a “double harvest” of sports performance and spiritual civilization.
It is worth mentioning that this Asian Games specially set up a refugee delegation from the Olympic Council of Asia, which was the second to last one before the host Japan. Two taekwondo athletes from Syria competed as representatives. This is the first time in the history of the Asian Games that there is a refugee delegation.
On September 19, the Chinese sports delegation entered the venue at the opening ceremony. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Lu Xiaowei)
Olympic champion lights torch with father
SPORTS
This year’s opening ceremony was themed “Harmonious Heartbeat” and lasted two hours. The sound of heartbeats kicked off the competition, welcoming athletes from all over Asia to gather in the arena. The theatrical performance lasted forty minutes. Nagoya is a historical city and manufacturing center in central Japan. The theatrical performance also focuses on displaying Nagoya’s traditional kabuki art and achievements in modern technology, automobiles and other industrial fields.
On September 19, actors performed live at the opening ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
On September 19, actors performed live at the opening ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Bo
At the final lighting ceremony, Japanese track and field legend and 2004 Athens Olympics men’s hammer throw champion Koji Murofushi and his father, five-time Asian Games men’s hammer throw champion Murofushi Shigenobu, jointly lit the metal main torch tower, bringing the atmosphere of the Asian Games opening ceremony to a climax.
On September 19, torchbearers Hiroshi Murofushi and Shigenobu Murofushi (left) performed the torch relay at the opening ceremony. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Lu Xiaowei)
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