Kathmandu: The 19th Asian Games (Asiad) is taking place at Hangzhou of China from Saturday. More than 12,500 people including organizers, sports committees, athletes and managers will be participating in the Asiad. The Games will include 481 competitions in 61 categories under 40 games.
President of China, Xi Jinping, is scheduled to inaugurate the Asian Games. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ will attend the inaugural ceremony during his official visit to China to boost up morale of athletes and to establish Nepal’s role in sports diplomacy. Presidents, heads of the governments and leaders of different countries including Syria have reached Hangzhou city to participate in the inaugural ceremony.
The Asian Games will also be organized at Hangzhou and its neighboring cities. A total of 45 countries of the world are participating in the Asiad. Two hundred and fifty three athletes, including 126 men and 127 women, from Nepal are competing in 29 games. In the Asiad, 11 players from Nepal will compete in taekwondo, 22 in football, four in basketball, four in archery, eight in athletics, eight in badminton, 13 in boxing, one in breaking, 15 in cricket, two in cycling and 23 in e-sports. Likewise, eight sportspersons will vie in karate, six in gulf, 16 in handball, right in judo, 12 in kabbadi, 12 in rugby, 2 in shooting, 6 in squash, four in swimming, six in fencing, six in table tennis, six in tennis, four in triathlon, 24 in volleyball, five in weight lifting and 12 in wushu.
It is for the first time such a record number of Nepali sportspersons are competing in various sports competition in Asiad. Nepali sportspersons have been delivering their best performances in martial arts such as karate and taekwondo among others. A total of 162 sportsperson from the departmental team of three security agencies in the country will be competing in the Asiad. Among them, 63 are from Nepali Army, 53 from Armed Police Force and 46 from Nepal Police.
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