Facts and figures

? Hangzhou is the third city in China to host the Asian Games, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010. The 2026 event will be held in Japan.

? With 12,417 registered athletes, the Hangzhou Asian Games feature more participants than the Olympics. About 11,000 athletes competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and about 10,500 are set to participate at the Paris Games in 2024.

? The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is set to compete in the Hangzhou Asian Games, marking the country's first participation in an international multisport event since the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. Nearly 200 athletes are expected to represent the DPRK in Hangzhou, as it brings its three-year hiatus from elite international sports to an end.

? Esports makes its debut as an official medal sport at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

? For the first time in Asian Games history, boxing will be a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

? This Asiad aims to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and has adopted a low-carbon green policy with sustainable venues powered by "green "electricity.

? The eco-friendly approach of the Hangzhou Asian Games includes the inauguration of just 12 new venues out of the 56 being used. The others have all been renovated or repurposed for the event.

? Advanced technology at the Hangzhou Asian Games features mosquito eradication bots and fully automated cleaning machines.

? Hangzhou Asian Games is the first cashless Games, with Hangzhou being a cashless city.

? Hangzhou boasts the world's largest bike sharing system, with more than 75,000 bicycles available for public use around the city.