Games bolster Guangzhou's global sports hub credentials

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.

In addition to further raising Guangzhou's image at home and abroad, the National Games, which are being jointly hosted by Guangdong province and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, have helped promote the city's sports industry development and spark public enthusiasm for sports participation, said Zhu Xiaoyi, deputy director of the Guangzhou division of the executive committee of the 15th National Games.

"When we look at world-class cities around the globe, most are internationally renowned sports hubs that possess a wealth of sports venues and facilities," said Zhu.

Zhu, also deputy director-general of Guangzhou municipal government, made the remarks at a news conference over the weekend.

After the Guangzhou division of the executive committee was officially established two years ago, the southern metropolis accelerated the renovation and construction of its sports venues to meet the requirements of a world-renowned sports city, he said.

According to Zhu, of 62 large-scale sports venues, 30 were selected for "targeted minor renovations".

"We promoted the quality improvement of both the interior and exterior of the venues in an integrated manner, ensuring they meet the requirements for both domestic and international competitions," he said.

And, during the buildup to the 15th National Games, specialized and innovative enterprises based in Guangzhou participated heavily in the preparations, contributing to the smooth hosting of the massive, multisport event.

"In table tennis, the Hawk-Eye challenge system being used is provided by Guangzhou-based enterprises," Zhu noted.

"And for the opening ceremony on Nov 9, we launched the world's firstof-its-kind power supply model, featuring high-reliability municipal power, plus new energy storage as the main supply, replacing the traditional diesel generator microgrid," he added.

Zhu explained that the new model helped save about 31 metric tons of diesel consumption and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by around 96 tons per performance, adhering to the principle of hosting a "green, streamlined, safe and splendid "opening ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, a total of 2,950 volunteers transformed into "little dolphins" — nicknamed after the mascots of the National Games — creating a warm and efficient volunteer service network, ensuring the successful operation of the opening ceremony.

After the conclusion of the opening ceremony, they contributed to the efficient and orderly exit of the audience, which set new records. The venue was clear of all attendees in 36 minutes, and they boarded their return transportation within 55 minutes.

Since the start of the year, 11,000 volunteers have successfully completed support tasks for 11 large-scale events, with a total volunteer service time exceeding 310,000 hours, Zhu said.

Over the course of these historic cross-boundary Games, the hosting capability of the whole Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has enjoyed an international stamp of approval.

Thomas Bach, the IOC's honorary president for life, said that the GBA has the capability to one day host the Olympics.

"If you look at the scope of the National Games, they are bigger than the Olympic Games," he told local media at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong last week after watching the first day of the rugby sevens.

"You have many world-class sports facilities, you have a sports-loving public, you have all the ingredients needed, so, one day, I think it would be a very good candidate for the Olympics," he said, adding that the GBA should "go for it".

Already seeing the benefits of hosting the Games, Zhu said he is pleased to learn the competition venues in Guangzhou, including the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, Tianhe Sports Center and the sports center at the Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, have been fully booked to host events throughout 2026, further strengthening Guangzhou's position as an international sports hub.

World Athletics chose Guangzhou as the host city when the 2025 World Athletics Relays Championships made its debut in China.

Attracting over 70 athletes from 43 countries and regions, Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, told the Yangcheng Evening News at the time that "Guangzhou is a city that truly understands the importance of sports ... and its leadership clearly grasps the true value and meaning of sports."

Zhu said Guangzhou has hosted over 240 major international sports events since the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

"So far this year, it has organized more than 500 sports events and activities at all levels and of various types," he added.

Last year, Guangzhou's sports industry totaled 237.23 billion yuan ($33.51 billion), the fourth straight year it has exceeded 200 billion yuan, said Zhu.

He noted that the city's sports consumption was 63.13 billion yuan, with a per capita figure of 3,345.51 yuan, ranking among the highest in China.