On the evening of September 6, the 15th Games of Hunan Province opened at the Olympic Park Stadium in Yiyang City. Shen Xiaoming, secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, attended and addressed the opening ceremony. Mao Weiming, deputy secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and governor of Hunan Province, delivered an opening speech. Mao Wanchun, chairperson of the CPPCC Hunan Provincial Committee, and Xie Weijiang, deputy secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Yueyang Municipal Committee, attended.

The opening ceremony officially began at 20:00. Flag bearers carried the national flag, the flag of the Hunan Provincial Games, and the flag of the 15th Games of Hunan Province into the venue. The delegations of referees and athletes marched into the stadium in turn. After the march-in, all those present stood up and sang the national anthem in unison, as the bright five-star red flag rose slowly to the majestic melody. Then, the flags of the Hunan Provincial Games and the 15th Games of Hunan Province were raised to the anthem of the 15th Games of Hunan Province.

"Tides of the Zijiang River rise to welcome the provincial games, and athletes compete on the playing fields in Yiyang," Governor Mao said in his speech. On behalf of the provincial Party committee and the provincial government, he extended warm congratulations on the 15th Games of Hunan Province being held in Yiyang. Governor Mao noted that in recent years, Hunan has thoroughly implemented President Xi Jinping's important expositions on sports, coordinating the development of mass sports, competitive sports, and the sports industry. Hunan successfully hosted the First National Youth Games for Football, Basketball and Volleyball of the People's Republic of China, and bid for the 16th National Games and the 13th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, achieving leapfrog development in building itself into a province strong in sports.

The 15th Games of Hunan Province is not only a concentrated display of the spirit and demeanor of the people of Hunan, but also practical training for hosting the 16th National Games. Governor Mao expressed his hope that everyone will showcase the best of Hunan's athletes, provide event services and support to the highest standards, and maximize the transformation of the outcomes of hosting the event, striving to deliver a simple, safe, and splendid sports feast. The whole province should draw uplifting and positive strength from the games, race for excellence during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and make greater contributions to writing the Hunan chapter of Chinese modernization.

Representatives of athletes, coaches, and referees took their oaths. A cultural and sports performance titled "Glory to Hunan, Pursue Dreams in Yiyang" was also held at the opening ceremony. Digital technology was used to enhance the artistic conception of the landscape, incorporating such elements as bamboo seas, dark tea, and Meishan intangible cultural heritage. It showcased the magnificent leap from "Great Changes in the Mountainous Countryside" to the "Three Hubs and Four New Missions." In the torch relay and lighting segment, nine Olympic and world champions from Yiyang jointly completed the main torch lighting ceremony.

Also present were provincial leaders Sui Zhongcheng, Wei Jianfeng, Guo Lingji, Wu Guiying, and Jiang Difei.

This edition of the provincial games features two categories, the youth group and the adult group, with a total of 41 major events, the largest number of competition events in the Games' history. A total of 10,678 athletes from 15 delegations, consisting of 13 cities and one prefecture across the province, as well as the Hunan Sports Vocational College, will compete in the games. Some events have been held since August. The 15th Games of Hunan Province will close on September 16.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn