KUALA LUMPUR: Rain did not dampen the spirits of an enthusiastic crowd of 80,000 people as they welcomed Southeast Asia’s best athletes at the opening ceremony of the 29th Sea Games at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tonight.
Kuala Lumpur is hosting the biennial multi-sport event for the sixth time since it last hosted in 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 are the largest foreign contingent with 818 athletes while Timor Leste’s 50 athletes are 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 of the 11 flags of the Sea Games countries.
The national contingent is 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 nine-year-old water skier Adam Yoong Hanifah.
Also in the national contingent is Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who will compete in polo, as well as several current and former world champions.
Following the opening speeches of Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar and Khairy, the Games was declared open by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.
Also in attendance 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 with the oath-taking ceremony.
The showcase performance saw 6,000 people, consisting of performers, volunteers, children and the armed forces entertaining the crowd while viewers at home also 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 organisation of the Sea 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 in reality the Games had begun on Aug 14.