At Nan'ao Island's Qing'ao Bay, winter waves, rising young athletes and an international cast of coaches converge as the spotlight shines on the fast-growing sport, Xing Wen discovers in Shantou, Guangdong.
The ongoing 15th National Games are playing a major role in helping Guangzhou, the Guangdong provincial capital, accelerate its development as an internationally renowned sports hub.
Running on the scenic Shenzhen Bay Bridge, cool sea breeze in their hair, was undoubtedly the highlight of the first cross-boundary marathon in China's historic 15th National Games.
During the ongoing National Games, airline ticket bookings to the major host cities, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, have seen double-digit growth compared with last year.
Through their headspins, high jumps and playful antics, the mascots Xi Yangyang and Le Rongrong, inspired by the Chinese white dolphin, have become the unexpected stars of the ongoing 15th National Games, stealing the show at venues across the three host regions.
For athletes, the ongoing 15th National Games is a massive domestic sports platform to compete for gold medals. For thousands of spectators, the event is also an opportunity to taste cuisine from Guangdong province, Hong Kong, and Macao.
When the 15th National Games opened in Guangzhou of Guangdong province on Nov 9, it marked a spectacular demonstration of event management, technological integration and the principle of shared participation.
The 15th National Games, jointly hosted by Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions from Sunday through Nov 21, mark the first time in Chinese sports history that three regions co-host a major national event.