Incheon welcomes best of Asia

After tonight’s opening ceremony, around 14,000 athletes from 45 countries will compete in 36 sports for 439 medals in the continent’s largest sports extravaganza under the slogan “Diversity Shines Here”.

Incheon, which defeated Delhi in the race to host the Games, becomes the third South Korean city after Seoul (1986) and Busan (2002) to host the quadrennial sports showcase.

With just hours to go before the opening ceremony, all roads led to Incheon yesterday, resulting in traffic snarls, busy stadiums and crowds of tourists and Games participants here, there and everywhere. The grand opening ceremony will reach an estimated 4.5 billion viewers across the continent for 16 days.

The main stadium stood ready and resplendent yesterday, decked in beautiful decorations, colourful flowers and greenery. Security was on full alert, with several checkpoints surrounding the stadium. Inside, instead of conducting the usual dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony, the organisers were trying to put things in an order in a last-ditch attempt to make sure the launch runs smoothly.

Athletes and tourists touched down in large numbers at Incheon International Airport yesterday, making it one of the busiest days in the history of the city. As athletes and officials lined up in front of the accreditation centre at the airport, hundreds more made several long queues at Customs. 

Outside the airport, a crowd of athletes were waiting patiently for shuttle buses, while hundreds more were hauling their luggage towards transport. The athletes were taken directly to the athletes’ village, while media representatives were whisked to the media village and hotels.

Thailand has sent a strong delegation of 780 athletes and officials, including HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, who is part of the equestrian squad. The Princess will participate in the dressage event with her horse Prince Charming.

The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) has targeted 13 to 15 gold medals while the Olympic Committee of Thailand Secretary-General Maj-General Charouck Arirachakaran has a more cautious estimate of just 10 golds – one less than the Thai haul in Guangzhou, China, four years ago.

Thailand are hoping for a clean sweep of four golds in sepak takraw, where Thais traditionally dominate. Thai athletes are also tipped to capture gold medals in track and field, taekwondo, sailing, boxing, weightlifting, women’s volleyball and shooting.

Today’s opening ceremony will see goalkeeper Kawin Thamsatchanan carry the national flag to lead the Thai delegation into the stadium. The hunt for gold starts at the shooting range tomorrow, the first day of competition.

Meanwhile, hosts South Korea have set a target of 90 gold medals, which should be more than enough to reach their goal of second in the medal table ahead of rivals Japan.

The hosts have 831 athletes at the Games, and with several champions from the 2012 London Olympics on board, they have reason to be confident.

Archery is a particular strength for South Korea, and reigning Olympic champion Oh Jin-hyek, who will recite the athlete’s oath at the opening ceremony, is expected to lead the medal charge.

Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong are ranked the world No 1 badminton men’s pairing, while local hero Son Yeon-jae will likely draw sold-out crowds at the rhythmic gymnastics.

In athletics, China’s Zhang Peimeng will attempt to become the first Asian to run the 100m in less than 10 seconds. China will go for clean-sweeps in their specialist sports of diving, table tennis and badminton, where the highly decorated Lin Dan may meet his Malaysian rival Lee Chong Wei.

Japan are trying to make it a men’s and women’s football double in the home of their arch-foes South Korea, a result which would sorely test the patience of host fans.

Organisers say ticket sales have been poor for several events, particularly lesser-known sports or those in which South Korea are deemed to have little chance of winning.

But there will be no shortage of backing for swimmer Park Tae-hwan, who won 2008 Olympic gold in the 400 metre freestyle and claimed 100,200 and 400 metre golds at the 2010 Guangzhou Asiad.

Park lost the Olympic final to Chinese rival Sun Yang in London, and Sun, after a series of run-ins with the authorities, has not been shy in voicing his confidence ahead of the next round of contests between the pair.

 Sun has appeared in a TV advert boasting he is the faster man, while Park has been more restrained in his rivalry. “My goal is to post good records at every race,” Park said. “If I can do that, then I should get the desired colour of medals. Then once all the races are done, I will be able to smile.”

Sun is one of 33 Olympic champions in the Chinese delegation, which will almost certainly maintain its record of topping every Asian Games medal table since 1982. In Guangzhou, the team claimed 199 golds.

At the other end of the scale, countries such as East Timor, the Maldives and Bhutan are searching for their first medals of any colour at the competition.