The Asian Games 2018 or officially known as The 18th Asian Games is a Pan-Asia multi-sport event. The Asian Games itself is a multi-sport event which held in every four years among athletes from all over Asia. As the second largest multi-sport event after The Olympic Games, about 15.000 athletes from 45 countries will compete in 40 sports branches at Asian Games 2018.

Where will Asian Games 2018 be held?

The Asian 2018 will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia from 18 August to 2 September 2018. Hanoi, Vietnam was originally scheduled to be the host country but based on economic considerations, Vietnam withdrew from its bid. Hereupon, Indonesia offered to hold the event. This time’s Asian Games will be held in two cities: Jakarta and Palembang.

For the events, some venues will be built, renovated, and prepared. Fifteen arenas for matches and eleven training arenas in West Java and Banten will be used for support implementation of The 2018 Asian Games.

Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) in Jakarta will host 13 sports. It has the capacity of 76.127 spectators. Facial recognition system will be being installed in anticipation of terror threats. Other venues that will be used for the matches are Jakarta International Velodrome with the capacity of 4.000 spectators, Jakarta International Equestrian Park with the capacity of 920 spectators, Pencak Silat Hall, Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), and some other venues.

In Palembang, The Jakabaring Sport City complex will host the matches. Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium with the capacity of 27.000 will be the host for women’s football matches. In the Jakabaring Sport City complex also has Jakabaring Lake for canoeing, rowing, and triathlon; Ranau Sport Hall for sepak takraw; Jakabaring Bowling Center; Beach Volley Arena; and Roller Sports Arena.

Some venues in West Java will also be used for some matches. The venues are Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung Regency, Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium in Bekasi, and Wibawa Mukti Stadium in Cikarang.

The Sports

There will be 462 matches in 40 sport branches. The sport branches are

Among those sports, there are 10 new sports which will be competed in Asian Games 2018. Those new sports are Sport Climbing, Paragliding, Kurash, Sambo, Jiu Jitsu, Pencak Silat, Jet Ski, Basketball 3 on 3, Bridge, and Roller Sports.

This year’s Asian Games will also introduced Electronic Sports (eSports) and Canoe Polo as demonstration sports. Six video game titles which will be competed are Arena of Valor, Pro Evolution Soccer, League of Legends, Clash Royale, Hearthstone, and Starcraft 2.

The Mascots

The 2018 Asian Games has three mascots. Bhin Bhin—a greater bird of paradise, Atung—a Bawean deer, and Kaka—a Javan rhinoceros. Those three mascots represent the Eastern, Central, and Western regions of Indonesia as well as strategy, speed, and strength respectively.

Each mascot wears different Indonesian traditional clothes. Bhin Bhin wears Asmat pattern vest, Kaka wears Palembang’s traditional attire, and Atung wears a Jakarta batik sarong with tumpal patterns. This is to show Indonesian cultural diversity as in the motto, “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” which means “Unity in Diversity”.

The Torch Relay

The 2018 Asian Games torch relay began at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on 15 July 2018. On 18 July 2018, the ceremony be held where the torch’s flame from India was fused together with Indonesian natural eternal flame taken from Mrapen, Central Java. The ceremony was held in Hindu temple of Prambanan.

The relay then continues to travel through 54 cities on 18 provinces of Indonesia. It will finish on 17 August 2018, right on the 73rd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in the National Monument, Jakarta. Then, the torch will be carried into the opening ceremony at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on the next day.

There are 40 Indonesian public figures who participate in the torch relay. Some of them are Indonesian legendary athletes like Susi Susanti (badminton), Taufik Hidayat (badminton), Rudy Hartono (badminton), Yayuk Basuki (tennis), and Yustedjo Tarik (tennis).

Where to Buy Asian Games 2018 Tickets?

The most asked question about Asian Games 2018. You can reserve your ticket online or buy it on-the-spot. For online ticketing, you can visit the 2018 Asian Games official website and offline ticketing, you can buy your ticket on the venues.

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Sources:
Tempo.co
asiangames2018.id
tirto.id