Indonesia speeds up preparations for Asian Games

Organisers of the ASIAD 2018 (Photo: VNA)

Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia has hastened preparations for the 18th Asian Games (ASIAD 18) to ensure the success of the sporting event.

A forum on the progress of the event was held on November 26-28 with the participation of representatives of countries and territories that will compete in ASIAD 2018. It was held in Jakarta city and Palembang city of South Sumatra province, the event’s two venues.

The Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta, one of the main venues of ASIAD 18, is currently undergoing upgrades, with 87 percent of the work completed.

The athletes’ village in Kemayora, north Jakarta with seven buildings to accommodate 5,000 people is being built. The Indonesian government has also accelerated the construction of some urban railways to serve the event.

Meanwhile, South Sumatra Governor Alex Noordin affirmed that most infrastructure projects in Palembang city will be completed by late December. However, the Jakabaring Convention Centre, a tennis court with automatic roof and the 22km-long Light Rail Transit transportation facility linking the airport with Jakabering Sport City will be done in May 2018.

Six 10-storey buildings are being constructed in Jakabaring to provide accommodation for athletes, Noordin added. The city is expected to be the largest sporting complex in Asia.

The Games are scheduled to take place in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2, 2018. About 10,000 athletes from 45 countries and territories are set to compete. 

It will feature 462 categories of 40 sports, with 32 Olympic sports and eight non-Olympic, including bowling, diving, ice skating, kabaddi, squash and sepak takaw, along with mechanical sports like jet skiing and paragliding and martial arts such as jujitsu, kurash, pencak silat, sambo and wushu.

Indonesia hosted the ASIAD in 1962 and the Southeast Asian Games in 2011.-VNA