Guangzhou Diary 12-11-10

If the Doha Asian Games' opening ceremony four years ago was all about the desert, this time round Guangzhou is all set to be a water show. Chinese delegate Ning Xiaozhou explained: "All chapters of performances tonight will be linked with the theme of water given Guangzhou is a city based around water.


Roughly 6000 performers will participate in the ceremony, the highlight of which is the boat parade. For the first time, the athletes parade will be via water - 45 boats will carry athletes and team officials from 45 Asian National Olympic Committees from the Baiertan area across the Guangzhou Pearl River right up to the Haixinsha Square, the venue for the ceremonyu00a0 across a distance of 9.3 kms. Besides the beautiful decoration of the boats, musicians on board will also play famous East Asian, West Asian, South Asian, Central Asian and Chinese music."

China's effective doping control
Ever wondered why one never hears of a Chinese athlete entangled in a dope net? That's because the Chinese have devised an effective strategy to stamp out even the remotest possibility of doping. Director General of the General Administration of Sport of China, Jiang Zhixue announced recently that each and every member of the Chinese contingent - almost 1000 of them - set to participate in the Asian Games here have been tested for dope. "We educate all athletes on anti-doping. We ensure they take all the tests and only if they pass them are they qualified to compete in the Games. "This policy has been highly praised," said Zhixue.

Gagan's gotta plan?
According to one wise scribe here, all the uncertainty and controversy surrounding Gagan Narang being India's flag-bearer for tonight's opening ceremony, given he has an event (10m Air Rifle) to participate the next morning, could actually go in the shooter's favour.

"Logically speaking, carrying that flagpole for a prolonged period could put unnecessary stress on Gagan's shoulder. And the shoulder is a significant aspect in rifle shooting.

So, if Gagan fails the next day, he could well attribute that to the flag-bearing. And conversely if he wins, he'll be a hero for having achieved the feat despite the tiring flag-bearing task," explained the journo. Looks like it's bulls-eye either way for Gagan.

Jai Guangzhou!u00a0
The city of Guangzhou, which plays host to the Asian Games, is an unbelievable tale of Chinese grit and determination.

According to Gurmukh Sangtani, a Mumbai-based garment trader, who set shop here seven years ago said, "Most parts of Guangzhou were jungle-like until a few years ago. Though it is the export-hub of the region, most development was only around the coastal belt.

"But now the entire city has been transformed into a futuristic tourist and business destination for the Asian Games.

"I remember when I looked out of my aircraft window before landing in Guangzhou for the first time, around seven years ago, I could see the runway emerging from thick vegetation. Today, it's state-of-the-art infrastructure everywhere. Almost unbelievable," he said.

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