Kuwait’s 120 athletes poised for challenge as Asian Games kick off

Kuwait delegation marches with national flag at Asian Games opening ceremony.

NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 19: The 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, officially got underway in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday and will run until October 4, with athletes from across Asia competing in 43 sports.

The opening ceremony at Mizuho Park Stadium was attended by Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs Dr Tareq Al-Jalahma and Kuwait delegation head and Kuwait Olympic Committee President Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, along with senior officials and heads of Olympic committees from the participating countries.

Kuwait Olympic Committee President and head of the Kuwaiti delegation at the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, Sheikh Fahad Nasser praised the opening ceremony.

He commended the impressive presentation of the ceremony, saying it demonstrated a high level of organization and readiness befitting the scale and importance of the continental sporting event.

Sheikh Al-Nasser expressed hope that Kuwait’s athletes will enjoy successful Games and deliver strong performances that reflect their preparations and meet the expectations of Kuwaiti sports fans.

Japan is hosting the Asian Games for the third time, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. More than 11,000 athletes representing 45 countries and regions are taking part in this edition.

Kuwait is represented by 120 athletes competing in 16 sports. Shooting champion Sarah Al-Hawwal and athletics champion Ibrahim Al-Dhafiri had the honor of carrying Kuwait’s national flag during the opening parade.

The two athletes expressed their pride at being selected for the role, describing the opportunity to carry the national flag at the continental event as both an honor and a major responsibility.

They said the moment they had eagerly awaited would serve as an added source of motivation for them and their teammates to produce their best performances and compete for podium finishes.

The Kuwaiti delegation is seeking strong results in Nagoya and hopes to build on the country’s record at previous Asian Games, particularly in shooting, athletics, handball and martial arts.

Kuwait teqball player Zaid Al-Eidan suffered a hamstring injury during his semifinal against South Korea and was forced to withdraw.

Al-Eidan was scheduled to play Indonesia in the bronze-medal match but will be unable to compete because of the injury.

In the doubles competition, Kuwait’s Abdulwahab Al-Qattan and Basel Ahmed lost 2-1 to Lebanon in the semifinals. They will face Indonesia in the bronze-medal match at 5:30am.

Dalal Al-Saeed begins her Asian Games campaign in the women’s individual kata, competing in the round of 32 at 4 am. Abdullah Shaaban follows in the men’s under-60kg kumite round of 32 at 6:15 am.

Swimmer Khaled Al-Otaibi will compete in the men’s 200m individual medley heats at 4:08 am.

Kuwait’s athletes will be aiming to advance through the opening rounds and secure places in the finals.