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Witness the fitness as nation shapes a healthier future

China Daily| Updated:  August 16, 2023 L M S

In Jingan district, over 40 sports venues were open free of charge, with some even staging anti-doping lectures, while in Xuhui district, over 30 municipal-level clubs and sports organizations offered a series of sports experiences and training activities.

Among these venues, Shanghai Luwan Sports center often provides free courts and pitches for the public, not just during National Sports and Fitness Week.

Lin Zhirong, a local soccer enthusiast, is a frequent visitor to the pitches at the center.

"Playing on such a quality pitch for a morning would usually cost about 3,000 yuan ($400). That would be too expensive for those of us who have retired. But the pitches are often open to senior citizens free of charge," said Lin.

"We enjoy great support from the government. As for our team, our priorities on the pitch are to be happy and healthy. Winning is not our goal, staying fit and healthy is."

In addition, some professional teams opened their training sessions to the public. As part of that initiative, 45 families in Shanghai visited professional training bases in the city, covering sports such as athletics, soccer, basketball, badminton and table tennis.

Apart from being able to use state-of-the-art training facilities, locals were also given access to the athletes' canteens and medical centers.

Shanghai Second Sports School, which counts Chinese hurdles legend Liu Xiang and two-time Olympic track cycling champion Zhong Tianshi among its former pupils, welcomed 15 local families over the last week.

The families watched the training sessions of professional track and field athletes, with some kids discovering the benefits of the school's smart track.

"The track not only detects a runner's speed, it can also measure your step frequency and step length. It's a smart track with digital data. Modern sports development is not so much about working athletes harder, it's more about using technology and scientific training methods to enhance an athlete's performance and prolong their career," explained Li Guoxiong, the principal of the school.

A series of online activities were also organized to attract wider participation. Zhejiang province, for instance, staged an online sports and fitness meet, attracting over 4 million participants. The online challenges included rope skipping, running, a plank competition and even break dancing.

Several Chinese sports icons joined the fun, with table tennis legend Ma Long, shot put star Gong Lijiao and Olympic champion swimmer Zhang Yufei recording videos to encourage more people to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

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