KL SEA Games opening gets underway at National Stadium

KUALA LUMPUR: The opening of the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (KL2017) that counts world and Olympic champions in its midst gets underway at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here.
Tonight's proceedings at the stadium, part of the newly-refurbished sporting facilities of the Kuala Lumpur Sports City, were being presided over by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
The 29th edition of the Games until Aug 30 brings together some 4,900 athletes from 11 countries, namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Timor Leste and hosts Malaysia.
At stake is 404 gold medals in 38 sports, with ice skating, ice hockey, indoor hockey and cricket being held for the first time.
Going into the opening ceremony of the biennial extravaganza that carries the theme 'Rising Together', Malaysia - with a 111-gold target - have already clinched seven gold, four silver and five bronze medals to top the KL Games medals table.
The country's contingent of 844 athletes are counting on the home ground advantage to better the 62 gold medal haul and fourth placing in Singapore two years ago.
Besides Kuala Lumpur, KL2017 is being held on the island of Langkawi in Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan. — Bernama