Displayed on the huge screen at Khalifa Stadium, the Asian Games Flame and the stunning Cauldron

Tonight the 15th Asian Games exploded into life with the most spectacular Opening Ceremony ever staged.

All the anticipation was worth it, even the most ambitious leaked secret didn’t do justice to the reality. The Ceremony was a spectacle indeed.

From the moment in the preliminary entertainment when scores of Qatari children ran on to the arena and built a traditional Arabic sadu carpet from huge, billowing skeins of cloth, while all about others cycled and ran about in a celebration of youth and sport, it was clear that something special was in prospect.

First a huge Qatari flag created from flaming torches carried by hundreds of white clad men, then the main dish, a fable told with magnificent imagery, stunning lighting, flamboyant costumes and the theme of progress through the Asian world.

A 157m-wide LED cyclorama, a huge video screen that is the biggest ever created, towered over one side of the stadium and showed the backdrop to the fable; seas, storms, even the fearsome form of Abu Darya who dwells beneath the sea and tried to ensnare our hero, the Seeker, navigating his way with an astrolabe.

As the tale unfolded we moved through Asia from Qatar to India, on to the Far East and along the fabled Silk Road, every step of the way our senses assaulted by sight and sound, movement and music.

Moving through Asia we also moved through time, enumerating the achievements of Asian peoples from past times to the present day. The finale of the section brought in space rockets, flying in over the stadium roof, ridden by very brave performers indeed.

Then it was the turn of the athletes. All 45 countries and regions paraded into the arena, preceded by their flag bearers. From Afghanistan, with the flag carried by Obaidullah Arghand Iwal, to Yemen preceded by Anas Aqlan, colourful uniforms and national dress filled the stadium to continuous cheers.

But the biggest cheer was reserved for the last team to enter, the home nation. The 359 Qatari athletes, supported by their officials, entered and paraded the perimeter, to stop and be welcomed by HH The Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

Lighting the Flame

Then it was the time for the last act of the Torch Relay, into the stadium and up to light the Games Cauldron.

The 15th Asian Games Torch Relay has covered over 50,000km, passed through 15 countries and regions and has given thousands of Torchbearers the opportunity to carry the 15th Asian Games Flame. Now it was on the last lap, literally.

Six special Torchbearers carried the Flame around the perimeter of the arena, past the athletes assembled in the centre. The six, Salem Bu Sharbak, Mubarak Mustafa, Nasser Al-Attiya, Mohammed Suleiman, Mansour Muttah and Talal Mansour, embraced as they passed the Torch between them, enjoying the moment.

Finally Talal Mansour approached a bronze and steel stage in the shape of the Asian Games sun, which opened like a flower to reveal HE Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani astride a magnificent black horse.

The Flame was passed to HE Sheikh Mohammed who set of at a canter towards the opposite side of the stadium where a steep ramp led to the very top of the tiers of seats. With a magnificent effort, horse and rider made the seemingly-impossible ascent, to be met by the slowly rising Cauldron.

The Flame jumped the gap and the Cauldron transformed into a magnificent astrolabe, the icon of the Seeker’s journey, completing the symbolism of the night.

As the cheers died away, the fireworks began, rending the sky above Qatar and making night day.

Never has there been such an opening to an Asian Games, never to any games if the truth be known.

The Games of your Life were underway.

Initial competitive encounters begin tomorrow with shooting at 07:00 at Lusail archery and shooting complex.