Asian Games, rich in heritage, turn 55 in Doha

After being born in New Delhi in 1951, the Asian Games have become the second largest sports extravaganza after the Olympic Games and are set to conquer fresh peaks at the 15th edition beginning in Doha Friday.

As the continental games turn 55, its reach and significance grow further with over 10,500 athletes from 45 countries competing in 46 disciplines of 39 sports in 424 individual events. Adding lustre to the games will be the potential three billion viewers worldwide.

And the games' message of unity, warmth and friendship through competitive sport was perhaps never as meaningful ever before as they break barriers of language, culture and physical boundaries in the Qatar capital.

And to think of it, when the games began in New Delhi, only 11 countries took part in six sports - athletics, aquatics, basketball, cycling, football and weightlifting. Today, they have become a mega event, having witnessed some seminal performances over the years.

The warmth of the games doesn't come from the symbolic flame that burns permanently here at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium. But from the relationships established between individual athletes, coaches, trainers, officials, volunteers and spectators coming together from different backgrounds and cultures.

The 15-day Doha games, the biggest ever in its history, will be no different as friends will be made and old acquaintances will cement their bonds - and they will leave behind a rich legacy when athletes disperse Dec 15.

This is only the second time, after the 1974 edition in Iran, for the Games to be staged in West Asia.

Though the Games have gone through some turbulent times - a case in point is the fourth edition in 1962 in Jakarta, where the number of participants decreased due to political reasons. Reduced participation helped India finish second, the same position that they occupied in the opening edition.

The games were again hit in 1978 when Bangkok came forward to host them for the third time after Singapore and Islamabad pulled out for financial and political reasons. The Thai capital is the only venue to stage the event four times - also in 1966, 1974 and 1998.

Bangkok has been a favourite hunting ground for the Indian hockey team as it won two gold medals there, in 1966 and 1998.

The games returned to their roots in 1982. The New Delhi event, with more than 4,500 competitors from 33 countries, was the biggest till then. While fencing and bowling were dropped, equestrian, rowing, handball and golf made debut.

India, led by Lakshman Singh, won the team gold in golf. But it was China that swept the games in their only third appearance. China joined the Asian Games arena in Tehran in 1974 and finished second with 25 gold medals.

The 1986 Asian Games in Seoul will be remembered for Indian sprint queen P.T. Usha's five-medal haul. She won four gold and one silver medal to leave an indelible mark on the quadrennial event.

In the 1998 Asian Games, another Indian, middle distance runner Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, became the toast of the nation. She became the first woman in 12 years to win a gold in two categories as she won the 800-metre and 1,500-metre events.

Dingko Singh surprised everybody by winning the 54kg category gold in boxing.

There have been more memorable performances by athletes from India as well as from other countries, making the games a treasure trove for them and millions of spectators who witnessed them in action.

Torch relay is an important part of the games. It precedes every edition and helps in building tempo and awareness about the games that follow. The first time a torch relay took place was before the 1958 Tokyo games, adding another dimension to the sports extravaganza.

The Doha torch relay is the longest in the games history as it covered more than 50,000 km through 14 countries across the continent.

After starting from Doha, the torch first stop was New Delhi. It was merged with the eternal games flame at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium here before starting its long journey and returning to Doha Saturday.

(IANS)

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