Asian Games 2014 Opening Ceremony: Sardar Singh leads Indian contingent at Incheon

The 679-member Indian contingent was led by hockey captain Sardar Singh, who was the official flag bearer for the country in the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2014 in Incheon, South Korea on Friday.

Updated: September 19, 2014 9:10 PM IST

By Editorial

Asian Games 2014 Opening Ceremony: Sardar Singh leads Indian contingent at Incheon

The 679-member Indian contingent was led by hockey captain Sardar Singh, who was the official flag bearer for the country in the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2014 in Incheon, South Korea on Friday. Nepal was the first delegation to come out followed by Timor-Lisote. Saudi Arabia has sent a 202-member all-male delegation. This comes after the first time in 2012 London Olympics, where they had women representation.  There is also a small delegation from war-hit Syria.

The event kick-started with fireworks and a sound and light performance by South Korean locals. The opening performance was followed by Korean percussionists putting up a musical act alongside local dancers, who performed a folk act. Catch the Free Live Streaming of the opening ceremony of 17th Asian Games at Incheon here.

At the grandest sporting stage in Asia, around 13,000 athletes will be competing across 439 events in the 2014 edition of the tournament. The tournament has come a long way since it was played for the first time in New Delhi in 1951 with 11 nations participating. Even as China, which has finished first in every edition of the Asian Games since 1982, will be the firm favourites, India will enter the competition this year with the hope of improving their performance from Guangzou where they finished sixth with 65 medals. Also Read: Asian Games 2014 Schedule: Time Table & Fixtures of 17th Incheon Asian Games

This year India will be represented by a 679-member contingent that has been cleared to participate at the Incheon Asian Games. The disciplines cleared are aquatics (swimming), archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing and kayaking, cycling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, squash, taekwondo, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, wushu, weightlifting, and yachting.

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