Editorial | National Games a stage for elite and amateur athletes alike

The opening of the National Games is not until November, but for thousands of amateur athletes the competition has already begun. Mass participation events for non-professionals are a feature of China’s biggest multi-sports competition. They were first introduced in 2017, in line with the concept “benefit ordinary people, make a healthy China”. The aim was to promote sport for all.

There are 19 mass participation sports for amateurs this time, including table tennis, football and dragon boating, with the Games hosted by Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau. There are also four demonstration sports. The finals began in May.

The Games come at an opportune time, with Hong Kong seeking to accelerate its development of sporting talent and the hosting of international events. Mainland China, meanwhile, has launched a push to grow the sports industry, rightly identified as a potentially powerful driver for the economy. A State Council directive aims to almost double the size of the sports sector to 7 trillion yuan (US$982.5 billion) by 2030, building brands with international appeal and leveraging a surge in the popularity of fitness and healthy pursuits.

Grass-roots sports leagues are enjoying success. An amateur football competition in Jiangsu this year attracted thousands of spectators. A similar basketball competition in Zhejiang in July saw 250 games watched by almost 780,000 spectators. If the passion at the local level can be harnessed, there is huge potential.

The National Games will generate much excitement when the elite athletes battle for medals. However, the joy of sport is available to all and should be embraced long after the Games finish.