Head of Kazakhstan partakes in Asian Games opening ceremony in Ashgabat

ASHGABAT. KAZINFORM The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has taken part in the opening ceremony of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Presidents of Armenia, Afghanistan, Moldova, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the opening of the sporting event.

It is noteworthy that such Asian Games, where the Olympic Council of Asia pays observation visits, are held biennially. It was Bangkok, Thailand, that hosted the first games in 2005.

On December 19, 2010, Ashgabat gained the right to host the games. The decision was announced in the capital of Kuwait where the Olympic Council of Asia and the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan inked a bilateral document. On July 6, 2013, Icheon City officially handed over the flag of the Olympic Council of Asia to the khyakim (mayor) of Ashgabat.

150 Kazakh athletes are competing in 17 sports there. Among them, Olympic champion Olga Rypakova, three-time winner of the World Wrestling Championships Nurmakhan Tynaliyev, and silver medalist of the Women's World Championship Zhuldyz Eshimova. Nurlan Myrzabayev, the Taekwondo champion of Kazakhstan, flew the flag of our team at the opening ceremony.