HANGZHOU: At a meet where the host nation China pulled out all the stops both in and out of the sporting arena, it was only fitting that the 19th Asian Games ended on Sunday (Oct 8) with a captivating spectacle of sight and sound.
At the packed Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, the closing ceremony tugged at heartstrings, making use of technology as an ode to the host city and those involved in the Games.
The Games, delayed a year due to China’s measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, saw around 12,000 athletes from 45 nations competing in 40 sports.
In front of dignitaries such as China Premier Li Qiang, the ceremony kicked off with the national anthem followed by a video highlighting the lustrous landscapes of Hangzhou.
Performers and the Games’ mascots took centre stage on the stadium’s “digital turf”, a large mesh of more than 40,000 illuminated spots covering the football field. As 19 giant Osmanthus flowers – the city flower of Hangzhou – sprung from the turf via digital projections, performers serenaded the audience.
Bouncing their purple clappers along to the music, the audience welcomed contingents from the participating nations.
Source: CNA
