A Kuwaiti in action during a curling game at the Asian Winter Games in China.

HARBIN, China, Feb 6: The 9th Asian Winter Games officially open this evening in Harbin, China, featuring around 1,500 athletes from 34 countries, including Kuwait.

The tournament, which runs until February 14, includes various individual and team Winter Olympic events for both men and women. Among the participating nations are six other Arab countries—Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon. Notably, some competitions, such as ice hockey and curling, commenced before the official opening due to their extended schedules.

The opening ceremony will take place in an indoor arena in Harbin, showcasing performances that highlight friendship, peace, and unity among Asian athletes. The ceremony will conclude with the parade of participating delegations, including Kuwait, which is competing in four events.

Fahid Al-Ajmi, director of the Kuwaiti delegation, expressed pride in Kuwait’s participation in Asia’s premier winter sports event, emphasizing the honor of raising the national flag during the opening ceremony.

Al-Ajmi revealed that Kuwait’s flag bearers for the ceremony will be ice hockey player Mohammed Al-Duaij and curling team member Fatima Abdul Latif. He also expressed confidence in China’s ability to deliver an exceptional opening ceremony and a well-organized tournament.

Discussing Kuwait’s performance, Al-Ajmi noted that the national ice hockey team secured a crucial victory against Singapore but narrowly lost to Kyrgyzstan in extra time due to a golden goal. Meanwhile, the curling team marked a historic milestone by defeating Mongolia in its first-ever international match, despite facing challenges in subsequent games.

He commended the dedication of Kuwaiti athletes, acknowledging the tough competition against seasoned teams from East and Central Asia, where winter sports have a long-established presence. Al-Ajmi expressed hope that Kuwait’s teams will achieve strong results and gain valuable experience from the tournament.