HANGZHOU - The torch relay for Hangzhou Asian Games will start on Sept 8 and cover 11 cities in east China's Zhejiang province until Sept 20, organizers announced at a press conference here on Thursday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2023 shows the press conference for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

The registration for the Games has been completed, as 12,417 athletes and 4,975 officials from 45 countries and regions have registered to participate, according to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC).

Hangzhou Asian Games feature 40 sports, 61 disciplines, and 481 events. 29 sports have been included in the program of the 2024 Paris Olympics, while the others are sports which reflect the diverse sporting culture of the continent such as Southeast Asia's sepak takraw and South Asia's kabaddi.

Hangzhou Asian Games will open on Sept 23 and close on Oct 8, with its first gold medal to be decided on Sept 24. Football, volleyball and cricket competitions will start prior to the opening ceremony.