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Linda Lew

Jack Lau

The curtain has come down on China’s National Games in the ancient city of Xian, bringing to a close the biggest sporting event the country has hosted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Twelve days after the games officially began, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang declared the sports event closed on Monday night, capping an hour-long spectacle at the Xian Olympic Sports Centre in Shaanxi province.
Along with thousands of masked spectators, the chief executives of Hong Kong and Macau, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and Ho Iat-seng, attended the ceremony, which featured martial artists in a celebration of traditional Chinese culture and performers in personal protective equipment “showing Chinese power” during the pandemic.
The games are seen as a major test of the country’s prevention measures for the Beijing Winter Olympics in February and as of Monday, no Covid-19 infection had been linked to the event.
Gou Zhongwen, director of the games and the head of China’s General Administration of Sport, praised the people of Shaanxi for holding a successful and safe event.
“The games committee took scientific and rigorous epidemic prevention measures ... Along with more than 6,000 health workers, we built strong safeguards for the games,” Gou said.
He also paid tribute to the athletes, who set 12 world records and two Asian records.


As with the games’ opening ceremony, Monday night also saw musical items celebrating the “new era”, a phrase that alludes to the Communist Party’s official ideology of “national rejuvenation” under Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The National Games flag was also passed to the organisers of the next hosts in 2025: Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong province. A smiling Lam accepted the flag on Hong Kong’s behalf.
The four-minute promotional video played after the handover ceremony showcased Cantonese culture, including lion dancing, local cuisine and the skylines of various cities in the Greater Bay Area.
This year the event attracted more than 12,000 athletes from around the country to the northwestern province of Shaanxi.
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Authorities in Shaanxi tightened pandemic control measures more than a month before the start of the event, according to Ma Guanghui, deputy director for the games’ medical team and the provincial health commission.
“The pandemic control experience from the Xian event was a valuable lesson, but the Beijing Winter Olympics will have even higher standards,” news outlet Huanqiu.com quoted Ma as saying.
Several of China’s Olympians repeated their record-breaking performances, with track athlete Su Bingtian winning his first National Games gold in the 100 metres. He crossed the line in 9.95 seconds, the only competitor with a time under 10 seconds.
During the Tokyo Olympics, Su recorded Asia’s fastest time in the event at 9.83 seconds.
Swimmer Liu Xiang won gold in the women’s 50-metre freestyle in 23.97 seconds, smashing her own previous Asia-best record of 24.03 seconds.
And diving star Quan Hongchan came out on top in the women’s 10-metre platform.


With the Shaanxi games over, eyes are now on Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong.
Without specifying, Lam said on Sunday she would push for Hong Kong to host certain events.
“Hong Kong will have more sports facilities in four years with the Kai Tak Sports Park, which will have a large stadium capable of seating 50,000 people,” she said in Shaanxi. “We should be able to host at least a few events.”
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park will be one of the main venues in the city and is expected to be completed in 2023, according to Johnny Woo Wai-man, CEO of the executive arm of the planning committee of the 2009 East Asian Games, the last major multi-sport event Hong Kong hosted.
“The most important thing now is to discuss with the National Sports Administration, and Guangdong and Macau authorities what events will be hosted in which location,” Woo said.
Apart from the main stadium, the Kai Tak park will have an indoor sports centre with up to 10,000 seats and a public sports ground for 5,000 spectators.


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A representative from Hong Kong waves the special administrative region’s flag during National Games closing ceremony in Xian on Monday night. Photo: Xinhua

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Chinese medallists (from left) Wang Liqin, Ma Lin and Wang Hao stand at attention for the national anthem during the awards ceremony for men’s singles table tennis, at the Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. Ma won gold, defeating Wang Hao who took silver, while Wang Liqin took bronze. Photo: AFP

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Weightlifting - Women's 49kg - Group A - Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan - July 24, 2021. Hou Zhihui of China in action. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

China's team members (From L) Wang Liqin, Wang Hao, coach Liu Guoliang and Ma Lin pose on the podium of the Men´s Team table tennis Final at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the Peking University gymnasium in Beijing on August 18, 2008. China defeated Germany 0 - 3.  AFP PHOTO / TEH ENG KOON (Photo by TEH ENG KOON / AFP)

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China’s rejuvenation to the fore as Xi Jinping opens National Games

The flame of the 14th National Games is lit during the opening ceremony in Xian. Photo: Xinhua

Performance during the Opening Ceremony of 14th National Games in Xian , Shannxi, China .  Photo: Xinhua

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President Xi Jinping declares China’s National Games open at ceremony in Xian

Hong Kong’s team arrives as the National Games opens in Xian. Photo: Xinhua

Opening Ceremony of 14th National Games in Shannxi.  Photo: CCTV

Opening Ceremony of 14th National Games in Shannxi.  Photo: Xinhua

ChinaÕs National Games open at ceremony in Xian. 15SEP21 Photo: CCTV

ChinaÕs National Games open at ceremony in Xian. 15SEP21 XINHUA

Covid or no Covid, let the National Games begin in China’s ancient city of Xian

The countdown has begun to the opening of the National Games in Xian. Photo: Tom Wang

The ancient city of Xian. SCMP / Tom Wang

The entrance to Fuping county, an hourâs north of Xiâan and Chinese President Xi Jinpingâs hometown, also features posters promoting the 14th National Games. SCMP / Sarah Zheng

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One of the main stadiums of National Games in Xian.SCMP / Tom Wang

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.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Xian’s hosting of elite sporting event passes pandemic test with no coronavirus cases linked to games All eyes now on the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February

Xian’s hosting of elite sporting event passes pandemic test with no coronavirus cases linked to games

All eyes now on the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February