IN AN event meant to showcase youthful athleticism over the next eight days, yesterday's opening was the perfect start, with the energy and exuberance of student performers stealing the show.

For a change, some of Asia's finest young athletes were spectators, as hundreds of thousands of people across the continent joined them to watch a visual extravaganza on television and over the Internet, as the curtain rose on the inaugural Asian Youth Games (AYG).

For two hours, the Singapore Indoor Stadium was a carpet of human artistry, as the hosts' multi-cultural diversity was manifested through song and dance.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.