City Games legacy more profound than visible success

Updated: 2011-10-26 11:57

(chinadaily.com.cn/Xinhua)

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NANCHANG, Jiangxi province - The 7th Chinese City Games came to an end on Tuesday, but the host city Nanchang, the capital city of east China's Jiangxi province, is looking to harvest more legacy than a mere bunch of world junior records or young talent.

Three years after China held the "exceptional" Beijing Olympics, the world's most populous country has gathered considerable experiences in the business of holding major sporting events, with the City Games just a latest example added to the list.

After delivering a successful games, the organizers hope Nanchang inherits the environment-oriented legacy of the Beijing Games and last year's Guangzhou Asian Games.

Guided by a principle of frugality, Nanchang built only 10 venues and had 22 other facilities reconstructed, with comprehensive energy-saving projects and solar water-heating and water-recycling systems put in place.

"The environmental concept of the venues' design indicates that China is paying more attention to both quality and quantity of its development than ever before," said Chen Junqin, mayor of Nanchang.

According to Chen, all the facilities will be used as fitness and entertainment centers for locals.

To cut the cost of the quadrennial meet, organizers even lent more than 40 events to other provinces.

"As the games is run under the guideline of frugality, the State General Administration of Sports (SGAS) approved of the move to relocate part of the games's program including cycling and sailing events to other provinces which have already built venues for those sports," said Cai Jiadong, a top official with the SGAS.

Besides, the infrastructure and buildings designed and constructed for the City Games have undoubtedly changed the city's landscape, which won the citizens' praise.

The municipal government also uses this games to promote the national fitness program and encourage more people to get into sports.

The governments of Jiangxi province and Nanchang have invested heavily on public fitness facilities in parks and communities in the city.

"The games has raised enthusiasm in sports," Huang Wenxin, a 70-year-old local who exercises regularly in the Nanchang Riverside Sports Park.

As the whole Jiangxi province is in a festive mood for the successful games, the whole country is working hard towards further implementation of the national fitness program.

China, which swept 100 medals including 51 gold in the Beijing Olympics, is now expected to win more Olympic glory and an even more significant reward from the sports-for-all campaign.

Names may be changed

China's State General Administration of Sports (SGAS) is considering naming the National City Games as the National Youth Games.

"There are debates on whether to change the name of the City Games," said Xiao Tian, a SGAS vice-minister. "The SGAS will make a final decision soon."

Next City Games, or Youth Games, will be held in South China's Fujian province in 2015.