The eighth and largest yet Asian Winter Games officially got underway Sunday with a declaration from Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito during the opening ceremony for the event to be contested by 32 nations and regions and a team of Independent Olympic Athletes.

The first medals were awarded in the snowboarding giant slalom.  A total of 64 medals will be up for grabs in five categories.

Japan's Eri Yanetani received the gold medal for winning the women's snowboard giant slalom, while South Korea's Lee Sang Ho was awarded the gold for the men's competition.

Recall, the Sapporo Asian Winter Games Organizing Committee (SAWGOC) has assumed the costs of participation of Tajik athletes in the 2017 Asian Winter Games.

Tajik alpine skiers Bahriddin Ghoibov, Barakatullo Zokirov, Sayfiddin Nizomiddin and Sohibnazar Tursunmurod are participating in the Asian Winter Games.

More than 1,500 athletes from 32 countries of the world are reportedly participating in the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Japan. 

The 2017 Asian Winter Games are the 8th edition of the Asian Winter Games.  They are hosted in Sapporo and Obihiro, Japan. These Games were originally scheduled for 2015.  However, in the Olympic Council of Asia's general assembly in Singapore on July 3, 2009, the committee decided to move the Games to one year before the Winter Olympics moving forward.  The games are scheduled to begin on February 19 with the opening ceremony (the curling and hockey events begin the day before) and ending with the closing ceremony on February 26.

Sapporo and Obihiro were named as the host cities on January 31, 2011, as the sole bidding cities. The hosting contract was signed by Tsunekazu Takeda, the president of the Japanese Olympic Committee.  It will be the third time that Sapporo will host the event and fourth time in Japan. Previously the city held the Games in 1986 and 1990.  Before hosting the first Asian Winter Games, the city was also the host of the 1972 Winter Olympics.

64 events across 11 winter sport disciplines are scheduled in the 2017 Asian Winter Games program.  The three skating sports are figure skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating.  The five skiing sports are alpine, cross-country, freestyle, ski jumping, and snowboarding.  The other three sports are biathlon, curling and ice hockey.