Coverage of the 8th Asian Winter Games Proudly Sponsored by the Olympic Council of Asia.
(ATR) It was a warm welcome for Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah.
Ahmad received a round of applause in the Sapporo Grand Hotel, after his arrival to the 8th Asian Winter Games. IOC member and Japanese Olympic Committee President Tzunekasu Takeda greeted Ahmad along with other OCA officials.
"For us this is not the first Winter Games. We are familiar with the Winter Games in Asia and we are the host of the next two Winter Olympics in Asia," Ahmad Al Sabah told Around the Rings about his confidence for the games, which run from Feb. 19 to 26.
The 2017 edition of the AWG will be Sapporo's third time hosting. The Games officially open tomorrow, but the curling and ice hockey tournaments have already begun play.
Japanese journalistTakayuki Shirahige, told ATR that he believes "Asian teams [will] win games in PyeongChang" in ice hockey.
"Winter sports had not been common in Asia until the Japanese Olympic Committee committed to hold the AWG in the late 1980’s – as a result, winter sports have gotten popular," Shirahige said.
"Holding AWG is significant, considering that Asian nations have efficient figure skaters, but hockey is not popular in Japan."
ATRpaid a visit to the second game of the women's ice hockey tournament: South Korea vs. Thailand. The disparity between the two teams was on display as South Korea cruised to victory 20-0.
Click here to see a photo gallery from the day.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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