The one year countdown for the fifth edition of the East Asian Games was held on Friday at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, where president of the Olympic Council of Asia Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad-Al-Sabah, and Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR Donald Tsang presided the “2009 EAG One Year Countdown Ceremony”
Macau Olympic Committee president Eddie Laam Wah Ying and first vice president Manuel Silvério represented Macau at the occasion during which the Games’ anthem “You are the Legend” was also official announced.
According to a statement from the Macau Olympic Committee, the anthem, inspired by the Games’ slogan “Be the Legend,” aims to promote sporting spirit and to deliver the wishes to athletes to strive their best for their countries, and marking their names in history.
Still on Friday, the Chefs de Mission of the nine participating countries and regions for the Hong Kong 2009 5th East Asian Games gathered at Hotel Nikko Hong Kong for a seminar about the progress and arrangements for the Games, which will open on December 5, next year.
The Chefs de Missions of China, Democratic People' s Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macau, Mongolia, Taipei and Guam sport delegations took part in the seminar, joined by a delegation from Tianjin, the host city of the 6th East Asian Games.
Timothy Fok, cairman of the 5th East Asian Games Planning Committee welcomed all present and said he believed the seminar “will enhance communication between the delegations and the event’s organiser, and that it will facilitate the preparations for the Games.”
“I am looking forward to their participation to make the Games more successful and memorable,” he added.
Details of various arrangements for the Games, including arrival and departure procedures, accreditation, transportation, venues and registration, were presented to the Chefs, as well as copies of the 2009 EAG Technical Handbook which contains the rules and regulations and key dates regarding the Games.
There was also a presentation about the Games Media Centre, which is expected to be located at the Hong Kong Central Library, and will be able to accommodate around 300 media representatives at a time.
The Hong Kong 2009, 5th East Asian Games will be held between December 5 and 13 next year in Hong Kong, featuring 23 sports of which 16 are Olympic modalities, mainly Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bodybuilding, Bowling, Cue Sports, Cycling, DanceSport, Football, Hockey,. Judo,. Rowing, Rugby Sevens, Shooting, Squash, Table-Tennis,. Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Windsurfing, and Wushu.