Google sports colourful Doodle on opening day of 18th Asiad

Google on Saturday marked the beginning of the 18th Asian Games with a colourful Doodle, celebrating the continental sporting extravaganza that brings together athletes from 45 countries across 55 events.

The Asian Games, organised by the Olympic Council of Asia and held once every four years, are regarded as the world’s second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games. The 2018 edition is being hosted by Indonesia, with competitions taking place in the capital Jakarta and Palembang, the country’s oldest city.

While swimming and athletics have traditionally been among the most watched disciplines at the Asian Games, Indian fans had particular reason for optimism in the athletics events this year, with teenage sprinter Hima Das emerging as one of the country’s biggest hopes.

The 18-year-old athlete from Dhing village in Assam’s Nagaon district had recently created history at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland. Hima won the gold medal in the women’s 400 metres, clocking 51.46 seconds in the final at Ratina Stadium.

Her victory made her the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal at a global championship across all age categories, putting her firmly in the spotlight ahead of the Asian Games.

Hima was scheduled to begin her Asian Games campaign on August 25, with Indian supporters hoping that her remarkable rise would continue on the continental stage.

Beyond athletics, the 18th Asian Games feature a diverse range of competitions, including football, fencing, weightlifting and several martial arts disciplines. The programme also includes less traditional sporting activities such as jet skiing and the card game bridge.

One of the most notable additions this year is esports, bringing competitive video gaming into the Asian Games programme for the first time.

Esports will be included as a demonstration sport at the 2018 edition, meaning competitors will not receive official Asian Games medals. However, the discipline was planned to become a full medal event at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The inclusion of esports reflected the changing nature of competitive sport and the Asian Games’ efforts to connect with a younger generation of fans while continuing to showcase the continent’s traditional sporting strengths.