4th Military World games kicks off in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: A spectacular show of sporting camaraderie, made more enthralling by some daredevil performances and showcasing of diverse cultural heritage of the country, marked the grand opening ceremony of the 4th Military World Games here on Sunday evening.

  
The Games, which are held for the first time outside Europe, was declared opened by President Pratibha Patil and the Olympic silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore ignited the Games' flame to mark the beginning of the eight day-long mega event touted as the biggest multi-sporting event ever held in India.
  
More than 6000 athletes and officials from 102 countries were given thunderous applause by spectators at the 25,000-capacity GMC Balayogi Stadium which was filled up to two third. Later pledgeding to take part in the sporting extravaganza in the true spirit of sportsmanship through Indian contingent, flag bearer Tushar Tomar took the oath on behalf of all the athletes.
  
This is first time that more than 100 countries had taken part in the Games and the evening saw athletes from the smallest Burkina Faso to biggest Russia walking together and military rivals North and South Koreas and arch enemies United States and Iran rubbing shoulders not in the battlefield but on a sporting field.
  
Indian Armed Forces helicopter team Saarangi (Peacock) set the tone for the enchanting evening, show cashing Indian military's efficiency and dare-devilry by flying past the stadium four times in as many formations and showering flower petals on the spectators.
  
This was followed by 11 daredevil paratroopers, including the Games mascot 'Bravo' - the great Indian bison-, descending down the stadium from 8000 ft.
  
An awe-struck Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) chief Brigadier General Gianni Gola reflected the mood of the evening by calling it a 'magic and unique moment' in the history of
Military Games.
  
''You have done the miracle of bringing more than 100 countries of different cultures, forms of governments, histories, creeds and languages to promote 'Peace and Friendship Through Sport', the motto of the Games,'' Brig Gen Gola said in the august presence of President Patil, Andhra Pradesh Governor Narain Dutt Tiwari, Chief Minister Y Rajasekhar Reddy, Defence Minister K Antony Singh, three service chiefs and a hosts of other diginitaries.

Rajasekhar Reddy, who is also chairman of organizing committee, promised to leave no stone unturned to make this event a success.
  
''Hyderabad is proud of hosting such a big sporting event and I hope we will host a hugely successful Games. We were always confident that we would do it,'' he said.
  
Later, the evening was made memorable by showcasing of the rich cultural collage of the country, including those of Andhra Pradesh, with performances of 'Tapptagullu', Dhimsa dance, 'Veera Natyam', 'Lambada', 'Gussadi' dance and 'Puliveshalu' keeping the audience spellbound in the nearly four hour programme.
  
With the formal opening of the Games, the athletes will now vie for 1205 medals in 13 disciplines of boxing, football, handball, judo, military pentathlon, parachuting, shooting, swimming, track and field, volleyball, wrestling, triathlon and sailing.

The last two disciplines will be held in Mumbai.
  
Five countries -Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives will participate in the Games as observers.
  
China's contingent, consisting of 200 members, is the biggest followed by India with 196 and the United States with 190 competitors.
  
India is aiming medals mainly from boxing, sailing, wrestling and shooting and its contingent will have marksmen Vijay Kumar and Pemba Tamang who won gold and silver in rapid fire pistol in Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Doha Asian Games gold medallists in sailing Naresh Yadav and C Murgan, Commonwealth champion in 54kg wrestling KL Yadav, Doha Asian Games bronze medallist in 91kg class boxing Verghese Johnson and last World Military Games bronze medallist in
boxing KN Belwal.
  
The World Military Games, touted to be the biggest sporting event after Olympics in terms of athlete participation, is being held under the auspices of Conseil International du Sport Militaire's'
(CISM).

It debuted in Rome in 1995 and was held in 1999 in Zagreb, Croatia and in Catania, Italy, in 2003. Brazil will host the next edition in 2011.
  
In the previous three editions of the Games, the total number of countries that participated were 93, 82 and 87 figuring 17, 20 and 11 disciplines with 4017, 6734 and 3406 athletes.