Le Binh Dinh (R)

HA NOI (VNS)— The second  were officially kicked off yesterday in Nanjing City, China, giving the stage to continental junior athletes.

Scheduled to run until August 24, the Games will highlight the city as one of China's global sporting hubs and provide athletes and visitors a unique experience.

Nanjing has welcomed more than 3,500 athletes, aged from 14-17, from 45 Asian countries and territories for Games which features 122 events and 16 sports.

Participants will contest medals in aquatics, athletics, badminton, handball, judo, rugby, shooting, squash, table tennis, basketball, fencing, tennis, weightlifting, football, taekwondo and golf.

A 90-minute opening ceremony was held yesterday, consisting of two parts: artistic performance and protocol ceremony.

The artistic performance Let Our Dream Fly lasted 40 minutes and shared the growth story of two teenagers during the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter, which bond Nanjing with the international community, the history with the future, the reality with the dream, and youth with hope.

Performances were presented in a creative cartoon atmosphere, so as to bring about a youthful, inspiring and full of life effect, representing the solidarity, courage, wisdom and passion of Asian youth.

The performance aims to pass on the Olympic spirit, demonstrate Chinese characteristics and integrate the local culture of Nanjing, to interpret the slogan Celebrating Youth, Passionate Asia and to fully reflect the feature of "staging the Games as a gala of youth, culture and sports" in every aspect.

The 101-strong Vietnamese team, led by deputy head of the National Sports Administration Lam Quang Thanh, was also represented at the opening after participating in a flag-raising ceremony at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.

Viet Nam will compete in 14 sports. The swimmers, shooters, weightlifters, fencers, track-and-field athletes and martial artists will all be out to take home medals.

At the first Games, Viet Nam pocketed two silvers, won by Le Binh Dinh in the girls' 400m hurdles and Ca Thi Than in the girls' 800m. Viet Nam came 14th overall. —VNS