1月28日，第六届亚冬会在长春市五环体育馆举行了隆重的开幕式。国家主席胡锦涛和亚奥理事会主席艾哈迈德亲王出席开幕式，受到现场观众热烈欢迎。本届亚冬会共有45个国家和地区报名参加，有望实现亚洲奥林匹克大家庭在亚洲冬季运动史上的大团员。特别是，阿富汗、阿联酋、约旦等15个国家首次参加亚冬会。此外，一些南亚、东南亚等国家首次参加冰球、花样滑冰等项目的比赛，标志着冰雪运动在全亚洲得到普及和发展。

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：首次登场

ice hockey：冰上曲棍球运动

flag bearer：旗手

（英语点津陈蓓编辑）