Asia's largest multisport event opens Aug. 18 in Indonesia with top athletes from 45 countries and regions set to compete in over 40 sports and games.

The 16-day Asian Games will feature some traditional summer sports, while showcasing several sports that originated in Asia. The games, held every four years, will run until Sept. 2.

A record number of athletes, expected to surpass 11,000, will undertake awe-inspiring feats at the games -- co-hosted in two cities for the first time. Indonesia's capital Jakarta will be the main venue hub, while several sports will take place in Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province.

(A woman takes a selfie in front of an Asian Games 2018 promotional sign in Jakarta on Aug. 8)

Swimming and athletics will headline the competition, with 41 and 48 events, respectively. Badminton, a sport popular in Asia, will be a focus of attention as Japan's Kento Momota is expected to compete internationally for the first time since claiming the men's singles world championship earlier this month.

The Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat will be among 10 competitions making their Asian Games debut. The four-player card game contract bridge is included by organizers as one of the new non-Olympic events.

Just like they did at February's Pyeongchang Olympics, North and South Korean athletes will be in the spotlight, marching together under a unified flag in the opening ceremony. They will also field joint teams in basketball, rowing and canoe.

Coming two years before the next Summer Olympics, the Asian Games will enable participating athletes to get a sense of where they stand ahead of Tokyo 2020.

(Women walk past banners for the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on Aug. 8)

Powerhouses China and South Korea are gunning to continue their 1-2 finish in the medal standings after claiming 345 and 228 medals, respectively, according to the Olympic Council of Asia, at the 2014 games in Incheon, South Korea.

Japan, which settled for third place overall with 200 medals in 2014, has not set a medal target, saying it considers these games a key test for a successful 2020 Tokyo Olympic campaign.

"We don't have a medal target this time. What matters is 2020," Japan delegation chief Yasuhiro Yamashita said. "Whether we win or not isn't really a big deal, as long as we focus on improving our performance ahead of the Olympics."

Young talent, including 18-year-olds Rikako Ikee in swimming and Akira Sone in judo, is expected to lead the way for Japan's team of about 760 athletes.

(Rikako Ikee)

"I'm looking forward to the Asian Games so much that it's no exaggeration to say I'm betting everything on the tournament," said Ikee, who is expected to compete in the women's freestyle and butterfly. "I want to win a lot of gold medals, extend national records and be named the most valuable player of the games."

China will send one of the largest teams, with nearly 100 more athletes than Japan. South Korea, with a team of 779 athletes, is targeting 65 gold, 71 silver and 72 bronze.

The Indonesian government said earlier this month the facilities for the games are nearly 100 percent complete, casting aside concerns the country would not be ready in time to host their second games.

Indonesia stepped in after Vietnam's Hanoi dropped its bid to host the 2019 Games due to financial setbacks. Jakarta and Palembang only got four years to prepare for the event, after the games were moved up to 2018 so they will not interfere with Indonesia's presidential elections.

The inaugural Asian Games were held in Delhi, India, in 1951 and Jakarta hosted the fourth edition in 1962.