They sought to enjoy every moment and to bear witness to Asia's biggest multisport event being hosted by the nation. But duties and responsibilities required them to remain outside and they could only enjoy the hype on the screen.

"I am not there [at the opening ceremony venue], but I still can feel the hype. I am proud to be part of this event," said Ulfha Aulia, 21, a volunteer who hails from Medan, North Sumatra.

A technical glitch, however, delayed the screening by 20 minutes, forcing many of them to temporarily disperse and look for the nearest booths and mobile phones that aired the show live.

They cheered and applauded the performers who took turns to showcase their skills and expertise at the event, which organizers promised would be the best in the Games' history.

"I actually wanted to [watch it at the stadium]. It must have been an amazing experience. But being here together with other volunteers is also nice. We rarely have time to get together, as we are usually overwhelmed by our duties," said Agung Cahya, 19, who lives and studies in Bandung, West Java.

Indonesia Asian Games Organizer Committee (INASGOC) chief Erick Thohir previously said the opening ceremony would be presented in a massive package to reflect Indonesia's diverse cultures.

“We will be celebrating our 100th Independence in 2045 and our economy is projected to be among the top 10 most powerful in the world by 2030. So we want to take this Asian Games opportunity to showcase our greatness as a country that is heading in that direction,” added Erick. (nkn)

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