HARBIN, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the ninth Asian Winter Games (AWG) in Harbin on Friday night time throughout a festive ceremony celebrating the town’s wealthy ice and snow tradition.
Around 8,000 spectators on the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center burst into cheers as Xi formally declared the Games open within the presence of visiting dignitaries, together with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.
The opening ceremony reached its climax when 4 torchbearers – two-time Olympic champion and brief observe pace skater Yang Yang, China’s first male Winter Olympic gold medalist and freestyle skier Han Xiaopeng, Olympic race stroll champion Wang Zhen, and Sochi Winter Olympics pace skating champion Zhang Hong – joined by youngsters holding ice lanterns, lit the lilac-shaped cauldron on the opening ceremony’s sub-venue, Harbin Ice and Snow World, the world’s largest ice and snow theme park.
Running from February 7 to 14, the Harbin Games, with the slogan “Dream of Winter, Love among Asia,” represents one other main worldwide winter sports activities occasion hosted by China following the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. It additionally marks the nation’s third time internet hosting the AWG, following Harbin 1996 and Changchun 2007.
A document 34 nations and areas are competing in Harbin 2025, surpassing the earlier excessive set on the eighth AWG in Sapporo, Japan in 2017. Over 1,200 athletes are taking part in ice occasions in Harbin and snow occasions in Yabuli, marking a rise from the earlier document of 1,147 on the Sapporo AWG.
Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, First Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese organizers for his or her joint efforts in bringing the Asian Winter Games again to the town after 29 years.
“In just 18 months, you have transformed Harbin into a Winter Wonderland – a fantastic achievement!” Fok mentioned in his speech.
Fok additionally congratulated China’s wonderful achievements in introducing over 300 million individuals to the enjoyment of winter sports activities in recent times.
In her speech, Liang Huiling, President of the Harbin AWG Organizing Committee and Governor of Heilongjiang Province, prolonged a heat welcome to the athletes and company on behalf of the committee and the 30 million individuals of Heilongjiang. She expressed her needs for the athletes to “push their limits, showcase their talents, achieve their dreams and leave everlasting memories.”
Gao Zhidan, President of the Harbin AWG Organizing Committee and President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, mentioned in his speech that China “has been committed to organizing a green, inclusive, open and clean Games that is streamlined, safe and splendid.”
“Let us embrace Asia, where we are working hand in hand to open up broader prospects for common development, openness and integration, and build an Asian community with a shared future,” he added.
Amid roaring cheers from the viewers, star pace skater Ning Zhongyan and skier Liu Mengting, who made a profession breakthrough by profitable the ladies’s large air gold on the FIS Freeski World Cup in January, carried the Chinese nationwide flag through the athletes’ parade.
The Chinese delegation consists of 257 members, together with 170 athletes. Winter Olympic champions – Xu Mengtao, Qi Guangpu, Gao Tingyu, Fan Kexin and Liu Shaoang headline the squad of 85 males and 85 ladies competing in 64 occasions throughout six sports activities.
Six excellent Chinese athletes, together with Winter Olympic gold medalists determine skaters Zhao Hongbo and Han Cong, pace skater Gao Tingyu and brief observe pace skater Qu Chunyu, entered the stadium holding the flag of OCA.
Framed by youngsters’s goals of inspiration, pursuit, and success, the gala efficiency, that includes chapters titled “Blazing Ice and Snow,” “Passion in Motion” and “Everlasting Friendship,” vividly portrayed hope and resilience.
The efficiency opened with ice harvesters and ballet dancers symbolizing concord with nature, whereas the Games’ emblem “Breakthrough” was illuminated. It then showcased the fun of winter sports activities and a joyful ice carnival, concluding with vibrant Asian dances and a unifying “Asian balcony concert.”
As the principle cauldron ignited and the theme tune “Light up Asia” crammed the air, the ice sculptures representing Asian nations and areas glowed all through the Ice and Snow World. Each masterpiece symbolized unity and friendship, remodeling the venue right into a radiant tribute to the Asian Winter Games’ glory and triumph.