Kazakhstan pulled out all the stops as the country's latest PR project -- the Asian Winter Games -- got under way in the capital on January 30. The games opened with a lavish ceremony in the covered Astana Arena in front of a crowd of assorted dignitaries and thousands of local spectators, who had paid up to $100 for the privilege of being there.
The opening ceremony featured a colorful music and dancing show based on Kazakh epics and a parade of athletes from the 27 countries taking part in the games. It culminated with the lighting of the Olympic flame and an extravagant firework display.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was on hand to declare the games officially open, strongly hinting he would like to host the Olympic Games in the future: “Today the Olympic Games are threads of friendship which unite peoples and countries. I am convinced that the spirit of the Asian Games will bring us closer together on the native Kazakh land,” he said.
Athletes from countries as diverse as Iran, Nepal, Bahrain and Singapore will be competing in 11 disciplines, with the events shared between the flashy new capital Astana and the country's commercial hub, Almaty, over the next week.
The stadium erupted in noisy cheers as the Kazakh team, dressed in the colors of the Kazakh flag -- turquoise and yellow -- entered the stadium last. With home advantage, Kazakhstan will be hoping to muscle in on a place at the top of the medal table, but will face stiff competition from Asia's sports powerhouses China, Japan and South Korea.
At the 2007 games, held in Changchun, China, Kazakhstan finished fourth in overall medal wins. This time, it will be hoping to pick up medals in two new disciplines in which it is strong -- bandy, a cross between hockey and soccer, and ski orienteering. Alongside the games, a cultural festival will run in Astana featuring ice sculptures and concerts. It will also feature a show called “World of Nomads”; Kazakhstan, while attempting to display its modern face to the world by hosting these games, couldn't resist the temptation to hark back to its nomadic roots.
Paul Bartlett is a journalist based in Almaty.
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