SHOWTIME IN KL
80,000 welcome Southeast Asia’s best athletes at Bukit Jalil National Stadium
THE Sea Games gets off to a stupendous start, with the opening ceremony whipping up patriotic passions in the National Stadium and across the nation. Millions of Malaysians stand solidly behind their team in the in the 'Merdeka' quest for 111 gold medals.
RAIN did not dampen the spirits of an enthusiastic crowd of 80,000 as they welcomed Southeast Asia’s best athletes at the opening ceremony of the 29th Sea Games at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium last night.
Kuala Lumpur is hosting the biennial Sea Games for the first time since 2001.
Malaysia’s contingent of 844 athletes, the largest of the 11 competing countries, marched in last to rapturous applause as they were led in by three world champions.
Cyclist Azizulhasni Awang, diver Cheong Jun Hoong and silat exponent Al-Jufferi Jamari each carried the Jalur Gemilang at the head of the national contingent.
Thailand is the largest foreign contingent with 818 athletes while Timor Leste (50) is the smallest.
Heavy rain, which fell an hour before the ceremony, threatened to derail the festivities, but the weather relented in time for the start of the parade.
The national contingent was fittingly headed by former track star Datuk Marina Chin, who lit up the 1977 Sea Games in Kuala Lumpur with a golden hurdles double.
Malaysia’s contingent boasts a unique set of athletes, from Sultan of Terengganu Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is competing in the equestrian endurance events, to 9-year-old water skier Adam Yoong Hanifah.
Also in the national contingent is Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who will compete in polo.
Following the opening speeches of Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar and Khairy, the Games was declared open by Yang diPertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.
Present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
National high jumper Nauraj Singh Randhawa then led the oath-taking ceremony.
The showcase performance saw 6,000 people, comprising performers, volunteers, children and the armed forces entertaining the crowd while viewers at home enjoyed a special “Best of Malaysia” performance in conjunction with Malaysia’s 60th National Day celebrations.
The performance encapsulated the four main aspects of the Games — provenance, similarities in diversity, together we are stronger and a nation built on inclusion.
Some 4,700 athletes will contest 404 events in 38 sports over the next 11 days, although the Games had begun on Aug 14.