Participants in the Combined Running and Shooting event. Zhong Jian / for China Daily

Sports for all

Alongside the high-profile sporting events, there are also many free sports facilities for local residents.

Sport-themed parks have been built to accommodate joggers, football matches and people flying kites and squares have been made accessible so people can practice tai chi. Special roads have been created for cyclists.

Traditional sports, such as the waist drum dance and baba dance, a free-style dance that combines folk dance and broadcast exercises, are also being encouraged in residential communities and the countryside.

"People can easily exercise near their homes," said officials of the county's sports bureau. "They may do different activities, but the charm of any sport is the same."

The local authority is making great efforts to improve the sports infrastructure. In last year alone, they built nearly 200 sports facilities and cycle routes, and trained 120 coaches.

They also gave free physical examinations to 200 people aged above 60 and 400 children aged between three and six and based on this data they are making scientific sports plans for local residents.

"High-profile sporting events, infrastructure and facilities to enable different sports and popular sporting activities are the three pillars of Shuangliu's sports industry," said He Min.

The local authority plans to introduce more high-level sporting events, and develop new sport resources such as stadiums and fields over the next decade.

(China Daily 06/01/2011 page47)