Asian Games Begin

Malaysia will miss IM Mas Hafizulhelmi,  down with dangue, so hopes lies with IM Mok Tze Meng, WFM Alia Ania Azwa Bakri and WCM Nur Nabila Azman to snatch a medal since Chess have been upgraded to category A at Asian Games.  After the Asian games will be the Asian ParaGames but sadly chess was omitted by the hosts and now hoping to see chess at the next ParaGames as the next Sifu hopes for the PWD (People with Disabilities) or OKUs.

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Asian Games

Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony for the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China on Friday.

AFTER the stupendous show put up by China for the 2008 Summer Olympics, now all eyes will be on another massive sporting event hosted by the world's most populous nation. The 16th Asian Games opens in Guangzhou, in the southern Guangdong province, today. Home audiences can look forward to a breathtaking spectacle broadcast live from the Guangdong Olympic Sports Centre at 8pm on Astro Channels 801 (Arena) and 821 as well as on TV1.
This latest edition of Asian Games boasts the participation of 45 countries in 42 sports over 16 days of competition (Nov 12-27).
The opening ceremony, scheduled to kick off at precisely 8.04pm on Haixinsha Island in the Pearl River, is helmed by Chen Weiya, who was also the assistant director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Spectacular: The rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. The Games begin today.

South Korean singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong, touted as the successor to Hallyu superstar Bae Yong-jun, will be among the performers at the event. Kim will sing the Games' official theme song Sunshine Again with four other China celebrities.
Some 7,000 performers will take part in the curtain-raiser. At 9pm, the team parade begins. There will also be a mysterious lighting ceremony to be held at 9.42pm at sea and on land.
According to Chen, the ceremony "will surprise the world".