KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 (Bernama) -- Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, is ready to host the Sixth Asian Beach Games, as all eight competition venue clusters are fully prepared ahead of the opening ceremony.
Scheduled for April 22 to 30, the games mark the first major international multi-sport event in Hainan since the special customs operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port took effect, according to a statement.
Around 1,790 athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees across Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, have registered to compete in 14 sports (15 disciplines), with 62 gold medals on the line.
Organisers said the eight venue clusters comprise six clusters located along the “Coconut Dream Corridor” of Sanya Bay, one beside the Sanya River, and another inside the Sanya Sports Center, covering about 280,000 square metres.
Beach volleyball, rock climbing and beach handball competitions will take place at the Tianya Haijiao Scenic Area, while beach soccer, teqball, beach wrestling/jiu-jitsu, sailing, swim-run, swimming, beach kabaddi and beach athletics will be held along the 22-kilometre stretch of Sanya Bay beach and adjacent waters.
Meanwhile, dragon boat competitions are set for the Sanya River, while 3×3 basketball and an independent training hall are at the Sanya Sports Center. From the official hotel and the athletes’ village, all competition and training venues can be reached within 30 minutes.
The venue designs incorporate traditional totemic elements of Hainan’s Li and Miao ethnic groups, in addition to the games’ mascot “Yaya”, inspired by the Hainan Eld’s deer, which is displayed at core areas of all venues.
Additionally, the opening and closing ceremony site features a “Deer Turning Head” themed light installation, drawing on a local legend to tell the story of Sanya, known as the “Deer City”.
-- BERNAMA
