All aboard as Asian Games preparations enter ‘final stages’

Tokyo – In just a month's time, the Asian Games will commence in Japan, featuring a record number of teenage athletes and more competitors than the Olympics. The event, held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19 to October 4, will see about 15,000 participants and officials. Among the notable competitors are 21-year-old Philippine tennis star Alexandra Eala, 15-year-old Indian cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi.

Kazuhiro Yagi, vice-secretary general of the Aichi-Nagoya Games organizing committee, remarked, "It feels like the Games are right around the corner." The final stages of preparation are now underway, with organizers aiming to provide athletes with a "unique experience" in various lodging options. These include a cruise ship, temporary wooden container-style huts, and standard hotel rooms.

Kazuhiro Yagi emphasized, "We will continue working as one right until the last moment and we hope that people from all over Asia, not just Japan, will enjoy the event." The cruise ship Costa Serena, modified for the occasion, will house between 4,000 and 5,000 athletes, along with seven swimming pools, eight restaurants, and nine bars.

To mitigate the impact of Japan's typhoon season, 2,000 athletes and officials will reside in wooden shipping containers in Nagoya's Garden Pier area, while the remainder will stay in hotels, including those in Tokyo, where numerous sports will be contested. Eala, the world number 20, aims to continue her rapid rise in women's tennis, while Sooryavanshi, the youngest cricketer to represent India, seeks gold at Japan's newly built cricket ground.

Swimmer Yu Zidi, making a name for herself with her astonishing progress, will be part of a Chinese team vying to top the medal table once again. The Asian Games, marking the first return to Japan since 1994, aim to showcase the wonder of sport and inspire athletes and fans alike.