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Lars Hamer

On November 9, 73 teams and more than 20,000 athletes representing China’s provinces, municipalities and regions will descend on Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong to take part in the 15th National Games.
Often referred to as the country’s Olympics, the Games were first held in Beijing in September and October 1959 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Over the decades, the Games have undergone other significant changes. The first four editions were held exclusively in Beijing, with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) winning three times.
It was only in 2020 that China’s military sports teams were withdrawn from civilian competitions. The Games used to feature an array of weird and wonderful teams, including ones representing the oil and coal mining industries.
Despite a wide range of teams having competed in 14 editions over 66 years, three teams, including the PLA, have topped the medal table 11 times.

But which teams might expect to top the medal table this year? Here is everything you need to know about the best provinces taking part.
Shandong province
Having won the past four editions, it is hard to look past Shandong as the delegation that will top the medal table come November 21.
However, despite their utter dominance over the 16 years, this is not a province that has been competitive historically. Up until the 11th National Games, which they hosted in 2009, their best performance was a third-place finish in Shanghai in 1997.
So, what happened?
Well, in the build-up to hosting the tournament, the province’s sports bureau conducted extensive research and studied best practices and rolled out, in typical Chinese fashion, “the supreme strategy of ‘striving for the Olympics’.”
The plan itself was simple. The first generation of Shandong athletes would guide the next one, who in turn would bring through the one after. This approach, teamed with investment in innovative training methods, propelled Shandong’s status and as the money rolled in, the province further invested in coaching, training and buying the best equipment.

Shandong has typically dominated in ball sports such as volleyball and basketball, with NBA player Yang Hansen and table tennis star Ma Long among the province’s most famous athletes.
And the province could cause some trouble in Hong Kong, too. At the triathlon test event in the city in March, Zhang Xirui and Yang Yifan won the men’s and women’s triathlon, respectively.
Guangdong province
If Shandong are the new kids on the block upsetting the apple cart, Guangdong are the polar opposite, and if anyone can end the east China dominance, it is them.
They are the most successful team still competing at the National Games, having won it outright four times, picking up more than 1,200 medals.
Guangdong also has a history of ending winning streaks. The PLA won the first two editions, before Guangdong claimed their first in 1975. Four years later, the PLA won their third and last title, which was followed by two more for Guangdong.
Despite having not won the Games outright since hosting in 2001, Guangdong have always been up there, having finished outside the top three on only four occasions, in 1959, 1965, 1997 and 2009.

Heading into this year’s event, Guangdong had home advantage for some sports, most notably diving, in which Olympic champion Quan Hongchan led the charge. Guangdong’s team were also expected to compete with Shandong in men’s basketball.
Zhejiang province
Zhejiang may have never won the National Games outright, but in China they are known as the province that dishes out the best rewards for a gold medal, including cash incentives and even flats and cars.
Historically, they have not been among the most competitive provinces and have finished in the top three only twice. However, they are improving: both of those top-three finishes have come in the past eight years, when they were second in 2017 and third in 2021.
On top of that, 37 of the 405 athletes who represented China at the Paris Olympics were from Zhejiang.
In swimming, Zhejiang are streets ahead of the competition. Their men’s relay team is likely to consist of Olympic champions Sun Yang, Pan Zhanle, Wang Shun and Xu Jiayu. Their best female swimmers are Yu Yiting, Zhang Yufei and Ye Shiwen.


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The opening ceremony of the 11th Chinese National Games in Jinan, Shandong province, in 2019. Hosts Shandong finished top of the table. Photo: Xinhua

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Guangdong’s Olympic champion Quan Hongchan is expected to dominate at the National Games. Photo: Getty Images

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Siobhan Haughey (middle) in a Mare Nostrum Tour 100m freestyle final in May. Photo: Tom Rushton

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Three teams have topped the medal table 11 times across the 14 editions of the event over 66 years, but one is no longer taking part


Three teams have topped the medal table 11 times across the 14 editions of the event over 66 years, but one is no longer taking part.


Powerhouse provinces: a rundown on the teams that dominate at National Games

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Three teams have topped the medal table 11 times across the 14 editions of the event over 66 years, but one is no longer taking part

Three teams have topped the medal table 11 times across the 14 editions of the event over 66 years, but one is no longer taking part