Ahead of the Opening Ceremony for the Ashgabat 2017 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games we took the time to speak with a few of the key players from show producer Balich Worldwide Shows about the development of what promises to be a spectacular event. Below you can find excerpts from conversations with some key players, including Musical Director Pierre Mussche, Projection Designer Charles Darby, and Production Director Patrick Ledwith. PIERRE MUSSCHE - Musical Director Mussche and his...

The cueist Ahmad Taufiq M. Murni is the only athlete who will represent the State of Brunei Darussalam in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat.  The delegation of the sultanate, which also includes the national billiard coach Lim Tat Hwe, the Chef de Mission Colonel Zahrin bin Haji Zunaidi and the official representative Nursulhi binti Hadji Tuah, already bound for the capital of Turkmenistan.  At the 4th Asian Games 2013 in Incheon, Ahmad took fifth place in the ranking...

Silver medalist of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro Hidilin Diaz will lead the team of the Philippines in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.  In an interview with The Philippine Star, she shared her attitude and told how she was getting ready to go to the podium in Ashgabat.  26-year-old Hidilin is the first athlete from the Philippines who won the silver Olympic medal in the weight category of 53 kg, Diaz raised 200 kg.  At the Games in Ashgabat, she expects quite intense...

The Games “Ashgabat 2017” will be forever recorded in history of Fijian sports as the first Asian games with the participation of the national team of this oceanic country.  On 12 September, a team of 40 athletes will head to the capital of Turkmenistan, united by the desire to do their best at the international sports event of this level.  The special hopes are placed on the gold medalists of the recent Commonwealth and Oceania Weightlifting Championship Apolonia Vaivai, Eileen Cikamatana...

Asian powerhouse China will arrive at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games intent on making a major impact as their 202-strong team of athletes continues to settle in Ashgabat.  The Chinese were the dominant force at the last Games held in the South Korean city of Incheon in 2013, scooping up 29 gold medals as well as 13 silver and 10 bronze to claim a total of 52 medals.  China were the leading nation in the pool as the country claimed 14 gold medals in the Short Course Swimming, w...

Bahrain taekwondo group are ready to perform in the arena of the 5th Asian Games in enclosed spaces and in martial arts, to officially start in less than ten days.  In this version of the Korean martial art on behalf of the smallest Arab nation, female trio – Wala’a Al-Dossari, sisters Juana and Jomana Mohammed – will compete in weight categories under 57 kg, 62 kg and 73 kg respectively. They have been trained by coach Tawfeeq Nuwaiser.  In Ashgabat 2017 Taekwondo competitions will be fea...

The Olympic Village hosted the flag raising ceremony for another several dozens of nations whose delegations have already arrived in the Turkmen capital to take part in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.  The ceremony began after the welcoming address by the senior executives of the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan. The Bhutan team was honored to be the first nation to raise its flag. Then the flag of Oman soared up above the Olympic complex. The flag of the national team...