1月28日，第六屆亞冬會在長春市五環體育館舉行了隆重的開幕式。國家主席胡錦濤和亞奧理事會主席艾哈邁德親王出席開幕式，受到現場觀眾熱烈歡迎。本屆亞冬會共有45個國家和地區報名參加，有望實現亞洲奧林匹克大家庭在亞洲冬季運動史上的大團員。特別是，阿富汗、阿聯酋、約旦等15個國家首次參加亞冬會。此外，一些南亞、東南亞等國家首次參加冰球、花樣滑冰等項目的比賽，標志著冰雪運動在全亞洲得到普及和發展。

Two men's ice hockey teams and an alpine skier from the Middle East were among thosemaking their debutas the curtain rose at the Sixth Asian Winter Games yesterday in the capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province.

President Hu Jintao declared open the largest-ever Winter Asiad which has attracted all the 45 members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) at Changchun Wuhuan Gymnasium last night.

Fifteen countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan, are attending for the first time. Kuwait and the UAE are fielding men'sice hockeyteams while Palestine has an alpine skier.

"This is a great achievement for the organizing committee," said OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.

More than 800 athletes will compete for medals in 47 events in 10 disciplines from five sports. The games, co-hosted by nearby Jilin city, will run till February 4.

China's star figure skater Zhao Hongbo led the hosts as theflag bearerwhen the delegation marched into the gymnasium. Zhao and partner Shen Xue were world champions in 2002 and 2003 and won a bronze at the Winter Olympics in Turin last year. China has the largest delegation of more than 160 athletes, who will compete in all 47 events.

China topped the medal tally twice in the previous five Winter Asiads Harbin in 1996 and Kangwon, South Korea, in 1999. It finished third with 9 golds at the last Winter Asiad in 2003, behind Japan and South Korea, which won 25 and 10 golds.

（China Daily）

Vocabulary:

make one's debut：首次登場

ice hockey：冰上曲棍球運動

flag bearer：旗手

（英語點津陳蓓編輯）