PH delegates participate in Asiad 2022 opening festivities in Hangzhou

Beaming with pride and heart, Filipino athletes took part in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games at Hangzhou Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, China on Saturday, September 23.

Flag bearers Margielyn Didal, a 2018 Jakarta-Palembang gold medalist in skateboarding, and Ernest John "EJ" Obiena, 2023 World Athletics Championships silver medal winner, led their compatriots, alongside Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, coaches, officials, and representatives.

Puoy Quinones designed the barong tagalog outfit worn by the delegates.

The Philippines aims to eclipse its medal haul five years ago in Indonesia, finishing 19th overall with four golds, two silvers, and 15 bronzes.

Obiena is only one of the athletes expected to win a gold. Recent results proved his tremendous growth since the 2018 Asiad when he finished seventh.

He claimed a silver in the 2023 Wanda Diamond League Finals in Eugene, Oregon in the United States, while defending his crowns in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Athletics Championships with historic leaps.

A spectacular show of intertwining culture and modern technologies illuminated the eyes of the live audience and viewers online.

China, hosting its third Asian Games, opened the sporting festivities by combining Eastern aesthetics and Western artistic elements.

With the theme "Asian community with shared future", China also elevated its portrayal of cultural heritage by seamlessly integrating 3D visual effects and virtual imagery to promote it.

Over 12,000 athletes, coaches, and officials from 45 competing nations marched onto the stadium with applauses, cheers, and support from the 80,000-strong crowd welcoming them in Hangzhou.

China's President Xi Jinping and other Asian leaders were present to grace the event delayed for a year due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Aside from the traditional torch relay, which concluded last September 21, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) also introduced digital torchbearers, which turned millions of registrations into shimmering flames and glowing dots.