Tokyo, September 16 (QNA) - The Qatari flag was hoisted aloft Wednesday at the Athletes' Village for the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which Japan will host from Sept. 19 through Oct. 4.
The Games will mark a record participation of 17,000 athletes and officials representing 45 nations and regions, including Olympic and world champions, who will compete across 43 sports over two weeks.
The Qatari flag-hoisting ceremony was attended by the head of Qatar's administrative delegation, Ahmed Yousef Al Darwish, and deputy head of the delegation, Iman Al Emadi, alongside members of the delegation, representatives of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), as well as officials from the sports federations participating in these Games.
The Qatari national anthem was played during the ceremony, with the flag unfurled in an extravagant atmosphere featuring a range of festive activities. The ceremony was also attended, alongside QOC officials, by several Qatari athletes participating in the Games.
Qatar's participation features a delegation of 427 members, including 243 competitors - 184 male athletes and 59 female athletes - as well as 142 members of the coaching and administrative staff, 23 members of the administrative delegation and 16 members of the media delegation.
Qatar's athletes will compete in 26 sports across 32 disciplines, representing 18 sports federations, with aspirations of achieving notable results and further strengthening the presence of Qatari sport at the Asian sporting event.
Qatar's participating sports include athletics, soccer, basketball, 3x3 basketball, handball, volleyball, beach volleyball, squash, padel, taekwondo, judo, artistic gymnastics, golf, shooting, swimming, jiu-jitsu, esports, sailing, equestrian, karate, fencing, archery, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting and table tennis.
  The official inauguration ceremony will be staged on Saturday at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya. Qatari contenders will look to win several medals that underscore the tremendous evolution of Qatari sports on all stages.
Al Darwish said the Qatari flag-hoisting ceremony was a much-heralded occasion reflecting Qatar's presence at the major sporting event, expressing confidence in the athletes' ability to give their best during the competitions and demonstrate the indomitable spirit that has long characterized Qatari sport.
He noted that the QOC, in lockstep with the sports federations, had marshalled the necessary plans and preparations since the conclusion of the previous edition in China to ensure the best possible conditions for the athletes and coaching and administrative staff.
Al Emadi, for her part, said the ceremony underscored the delegation's readiness for the Games and expressed hope that Qatar's athletes would deliver strong performances reflecting the extensive preparations and work undertaken in recent months. 
She stressed that this participation represents an important opportunity for the athletes to compete against some of Asia's best and further galvanize their competitive spirit, while wishing all members of the delegation success.
Meanwhile, Qatar's national karate team arrived in Nagoya to begin its final preparations, while the national gymnastics team also began its final preparations for competition. 
Qatar is set to compete in karate, taekwondo and judo through six athletes, while the artistic gymnastics competitions will be held from Sept. 20-24 at Nippon Gaishi Hall (Rainbow Hall).
Qatar's artistic gymnastics team is represented by Rakan Al Hareth, Mehrdad Ghadimi and Salma Nasser, under coaches Jorgen Sifkanen and Mohammed Al Dulaimi, accompanied by administrator Samira Saeed and physiotherapist Issam Abu Ouda.
Qatar's presence in the competition is further strengthened by international judging representation through Secretary-General of the Qatar Gymnastics Federation Abeer Al Buainain and an international judge, and Mahmoud Al Saadi, an international judge, whose participation carries the imprimatur of the competence of Qatari sporting personnel on the Asian stage. (QNA)