Asian Games 2006- Doha is ready to welcome Asia

The prestigious city of Doha is ready to welcome whole Asia at the 15th edition of the Asian Games scheduled to get underway from December 1. This 15 day sporting extravaganza will definitely be one of its best in the history of the Asian Games.

The sprit of Asian sports men and women will perform their best and it is expected that a lot of records will be established during the games in 39 sports - 46 disciplines. 45 countries will take part in this year's games.

Sri Lanka is expected to field a contingent of 162 athletes and 42 officials which happens to be the largest ever to take part in an International event out side Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s brightest medal prospect Susanthika Jayasinghe is yet in hospital

Sri Lanka will field their athletes in Athletics (39), Archery (4), Badminton (6), Boxing (6), Billiard and Snooker (6), Chess (3), Golf (4), Gymnastics (4), Judo (4) , Karate (7), Rowing (3) , Sailing (5) Swimming (7) Synchronized Swimming (9) Shooting (5), Table Tennis (4), Tennis (4), Weightlifting ( 4), Beach Volleyball ( 4), Wushu ( 4), Cycling (4), Taekwondo (4), Squash (4) Rugby (12)and Cue Sports (5)

In this 15th Asian Games the medal prospects of the Lankans will be limited. Apart from athletics and a few other sports Sri Lanka will have a remote chance of claiming medals in the medal tally.

Ace sprinter Olympic bronze medalist Susanthika Jayasinghe was named as the overall leader of the Sri Lankan contingent, but her participation will be doubtful. She had contacted viral fever last week, but medical experts say, she will be fit to run at the games and is expected to join the contingent by December 3. Jayasinghe clinched the gold medal in women's 200m at the last Asian games held in Bussan, South Korea.

Sri Lanka received another blow to their medals prospect as Australian doctors have issued a warning to Commonwealth gold medalist weight lifter Chinthana Vidanagamage on his medical condition.

The opening ceremony which is scheduled for December 1 is expected to be a spectacular event in the history of the games. Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC) recently announced the first names of global superstars from the Middle East and Asia who will head the Games opening ceremony.

A closely guarded secret for almost two years, the Games organisers said Hong Kong, China's pop superstar Jacky Cheung, Indian pop and Bollywood sensation Sunidhi Chauhan, Lebanese artist Magida El Roumi and tenor Jos‚ Carreras will be among the star spangled galaxy of performers at the Opening Ceremony to be held at the Khalifa Stadium, within the Sport City precinct.

Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC) last Friday opened the doors of its International Broadcast Centre (IBC) to welcome more than 1,800 rights-holding broadcasters and 2,000 host broadcaster staff to report on the 15th Asian Games.

Located in the Qatar International Exhibition Centre, the IBC serves as the central operational, production, technical, and administrative base for Doha 2006 broadcast operations. The IBC and the Main Press Centre (MPC) form the Main Media Centre (MMC) which is home to the local and world media during the Games.

The IBC is also the operational centre for the Doha Asian Games Broadcasting Service (DAGBS), host broadcaster of the Games. Over 2,000 DAGBS staff will provide over 2,000 hours of programming to 50 countries and regions with an anticipated cumulative audience of over 1.5 billion viewers.

This will be the first time in the Asian Games history to provide High Definition Television (HDTV) of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as for Athletics, Swimming, Diving and Gymnastics.

The first Asian Games took place in New Delhi from March 4-11 in 1951. 12 countries took part in the inaugural games in six sports events.