The Olympic legacy still benefits China's general public as witnessed by the enthusiasm for National Fitness Day on Thursday.

Aug 8, the opening day of the 2008 Games, was designated National Fitness Day in 2009.

This year's event in Beijing saw 6,890 participants gather at the Olympic Sports Center to participate in various activities.

Seven venues, including the swimming pool, main stadium and hockey field, are open to the public for free use from Wednesday to Friday.

"We will focus attention on mass fitness rather than competition," said Liu Peng, director of the State General Administration of Sport.

"Public well-being and health are the major targets at this stage as we have proven our world power in competitive sports at the Olympics."

Activities were also held in other parts of China.

In Liaoning province, where the 12th National Games will be held next month, more than 100,000 people participated in fitness carnivals in Shenyang and Dalian.

A 52,000-square-meter training center will open to the public for free use in Shenyang's Heping district later this month.

In Gansu province, the provincial sports bureau raised 1 million yuan ($163,400) to buy 10,000 basketballs for schools in rural areas.

At the Thursday event held in Hefei, Anhui province, the sports bureau honored about 1,000 mass fitness instructors.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 08/09/2013 page5)