Longyan to host weighty event at Youth Games

With less than a month to go before the first National Youth Games in Fujian province, Longyan city is poised to dazzle the country.

The venue of weightlifting events during the first National Youth Games is basically ready in Longyan, Fujian province, Sept 21. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Games will be held between Oct 18 and 27, with more than 300 events staged in nine prefecture-level cities and the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone.

All weightlifting events take place in Longyan when 240 athletes aged between 14 and 18, from more than 30 cities, will vie for 15 gold medals.

There is a reason for Longyan to host weightlifting, as Qiu Yinglong, head of the local sports bureau points out that the city has experience in holding national lifting events.

"Weightlifting is a traditional sport in Longyan. Over the past three decades we are proud of having fostered many elite lifters, including two Olympic gold medalists, and having hosted the National Weightlifting Championship in the past."

Qiu's confidence comes not only from the city's glorious history in the sport, but also in its preparation efforts.

The municipal gym, venue for the event, has a capacity of about 5,500. The platform has been built; organizers have opened 16 practice areas backstage.

A functional working mechanism has been set up to smooth over the whole course from head to toe, according to Qiu.

Qiu Yinglong, head of the Longyan Sports Bureau, briefs on the city's preperation for weightlifting events during the first National Youth Games, Sept 21. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

"We have 12 departments to take care of all things concerning the event ranging from competition organizing to facility supply, security control, food safety and discipline supervising," Qiu said.

"The Games are the largest sports meeting ever in Fujian. So we obviously have put in more work than before."

Longyan will also offer good accommodation for weightlifters and officials by housing them in two hotels by the gym, a 10-minute driving distance from the railway station.

Qiu also plans to invite Longyan's two Olympic weightlifting gold medalists – Zhang Xiangxiang and Shi Zhiyong – to interact and share their experiences with the budding talents before the event.

Meanwhile, the city will beef up promotion of "red tourism", which refers to tours in some old CPC revolutionary bases, around the time.