Asian Games open with Obiena, Didal leading PH team in parade of nations

Members of Philippines’ delegation take part in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on September 23, 2023. (Photo by Ishara S.KODIKARA / AFP)

HANGZHOU, China — The 19th Asian Games opened with a festival of lights, a dazzling visual show which started after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on Saturday night on September 23, 2023.

The space-age opening ceremony featured splendid cultural attractions and the best China could offer.

This is the third Asian Games that China, the biggest nation on the continent, has staged where the Philippine team of 395 athletes from 40 sports aims to leave an indelible mark and another lasting legacy.

World No. 2 and Asia’s topnotch pole vaulter EJ Obiena and Asian Games champion skateboarder Margielyn Didal valiantly carried the nation’s colors ahead of the 90 Filipino athletes who proudly showed up in the traditional parade of nations.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and other top sports officials strode with the athletes, signaling the start of the country’s bid of at least equaling its gold production during the previous 2018 Indonesia version.

Deputy CDMs (chef de mission) Karen Tanchanco Caballero, Nikki Cheng and Donaldo Caringal also marched on the sprawling glass-free 3D flooring inside the 80,000-seat venue along with POC legal counsel Atty. Wharton Chan.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann was likewise present during the two-hour fanfare that ushered the start of the Games where a record attendance of 12,417 athletes will contest the 481 gold medals at stake over the next two weeks until the closing ceremony on October 8.

Members of Philippines’ delegation take part in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on September 23, 2023. (Photo by Ishara S.KODIKARA / AFP)

As for Team Philippines, matching the four gold medals before the COVID-19 global health crisis struck will be enough.

Golfer Yuka Saso was one of the stars of that 2018 edition after winning the women’s individual play before leading the women’s team to another victory along with Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz likewise bagged her first Asian Games gold medal back then before Didal put on a triumphant show that punctuated the nation’s four-gold, two-silver and 15-bronze collection.

Obiena, the current continental two-time champion and Asian record holder of six meters, should find winning the gold much easier than the World Athletics Championships where the Filipino pole vault celebrity landed second before Armand Duplantis of Sweden.

Boxer Carlo Paalam saw his confidence soar after performing silver in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics while Eumir Marcial, who won all four professional fights, claimed a bronze medal in the previous global Summer Games.

Boxing Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio is also a favorite in her weight class.

Medals should likewise come pouring from combat sports taekwondo courtesy of two-time Asian Games bronze medalist Kirstie Elaine Alora, jiujitsu’s Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez, Asiad silver medalist Kiyomi Watanabe of judo and weightlifters Vanessa Sarno and Diaz.

Much of the expectations, however, have been pinned on swimmer Kayla Noelle Sanchez, who helped the Canadian swim team capture a silver and bronze in the women’s relay of the Tokyo Olympics.

The 22-year-old Sanchez can end Philippine swimming’s medal drought of nearly three decades in these Games in the women’s 50-meter and 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke.