The 2014 Asian Games officially opened at the western South Korean port city of Incheon Friday evening, attracting more than 14,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries and regions across the continent.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye declared the Games open in front of International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium, reports Xinhua.

The 17th Asian Games, which will run till Oct 4, offers 439 gold medals in 36 sports. The Incheon Asiad are the third Games to be hosted by South Korea after 1986 Seoul and 2002 Busan.

The Asian Games were first held in 1951 in New Delhi and China and Japan are the only two nations to have finished first in the medal standings in every edition since then.
Indian hockey captain Sardar Singh led the country’s Asian Games contingent at the Opening Ceremony held at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium here Friday.

India has sent a 679-member contingent for the 17th Asiad which comprises 516 athletes and 163 coaches and support staff.

India will be participating in 28 disciplines as against 35 last time in the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

India had won 14 golds, 17 silvers and 34 bronzes to finish sixth at the 16th Asiad four years ago in the Chinese port city Guangzhou.