100 days out from opening ceremony, Hangzhou ready to host biggest and best Asiad

With the flame lit and anticipation growing, Hangzhou is all set to stage the 19th Asian Games, promising the highest standards in sustainability, hospitality and technology as the continental sporting gala returns to China.

Thirteen years after the curtain was lowered on the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, excitement is building across China for the quadrennial sporting spectacle as Zhejiang's provincial capital is primed to deliver an even bigger and better Asiad, 100 days out from the opening ceremony.

Despite the one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preparations for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games have entered the home stretch, with all the venues completed, operational plans finalized, volunteers recruited and test events underway.

The unveiling of the official medal design following a flame-lighting ceremony on Thursday kicked off the final three months of preparations, which will focus on detailed operational tests, dress rehearsals for the opening and closing ceremonies, and organization of the torch relay, according to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee.

"The final preparatory work is progressing well on all fronts. We are almost ready to welcome Asia's best," Li Yanyi, a vice-governor of Zhejiang, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

As the world's biggest sporting event in scale, the Asian Games, which include both Olympic and non-Olympic sports, will see an estimated 12,000 athletes from all 45 national and regional Olympic committees in Asia compete in a record 483 medal events from Sept 23-Oct 8. Esports and breaking, a freestyle dancing discipline, will make their debuts as official competition events on the Asiad program.

The Chinese delegation is expected to assemble a 900-strong team for Hangzhou 2022. The squad will be focused on doing the country proud on home soil while also warming up for next year's Paris Olympics, according to Zhou Jinqiang, a vice-minister of the General Administration of Sport of China and a vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

Supported by five co-host cities — Ningbo, Wenzhou, Jinhua, Shaoxing and Huzhou — Hangzhou 2022 has overcome enormous logistical challenges to complete the construction and renovation of all 56 competition venues, including 19 for the Asian Para Games, ahead of schedule, according to the organizing committee.

The Games' main arena — the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center — stands out as the most visually stunning of the venues. Nicknamed "Giant Lotus" due to its petal-shaped roof, the stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field competitions

Sustainable legacy

Just 12 of the venues are newly built, while the rest have been transformed and refurbished from existing facilities as part of organizers' sustainable approach.

Venue owners and operators have developed post-Games plans for 51 venues, which are expected to host mass-fitness activities, professional training camps for national and provincial teams, as well as international events.

During the pandemic-enforced gap year, all available Hangzhou 2022 venues were opened to the public for use. Such has been the success of that policy, there have already been in excess of 8 million visits to these facilities.

"Staging such a large-scale international event in a sustainable and economical way is our promise and reflects the future of the Asian Games," said Yao Gaoyuan, the mayor of Hangzhou and secretary-general of the organizing committee.

"If the existing venues can be renovated to meet Asiad standards, there is no need to construct new ones," Yao added.

"The venues have become popular destinations for the public to enjoy sports and fitness activities. A series of rehearsal activities have been conducted to further enhance operations, including catering, medical and transportation services. All the venues are ready to go."

Organizers have run 42 test events and dress rehearsals at full capacity to examine facilities while optimizing operations at all venues, with 13 more to go, according to the organizing committee.

A total of 50,000 Asian Games volunteers have been recruited to be deployed at official venues, while a staggering 1.42 million city volunteers have been assembled, ready to serve international visitors in September.

Cutting-edge tech

Renowned as a hub for developing artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big-data analysis, Hangzhou is also embracing the Asiad as a high-profile showcase of the latest high-tech solutions for hosting international events.

The organizing committee, facilitated by partners such as e-commerce giant Alibaba, has launched a digital service platform — Smart Hangzhou 2022 — on Alipay, which has been hailed as a game-changer for facilitating participants' stays in Hangzhou.

The mini-program, which has amassed over 50 million registered users since September 2020, offers one-stop services for ticketing, transportation guides, competition schedules and even recommendations on local cuisine, cultural events and sightseeing.

The official torch relay for the Games will include a digital version that allows users to create their own versions of a "digital torchbearer" on the mini-program and get involved in the online relay to celebrate the Games, organizers added.

"All the digital initiatives that we've innovated during the preparations will help turn the Asian Games into a smart, convenient and fun event," said Yao. Hangzhou has completed the construction of 516 kilometers of rail links and a 480 km expressway network, ensuring smooth transportation during the Games and establishing a solid foundation for the long-term integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, according to vice-governor Li.

Hangzhou metro line No 19, adorned with the emblem and slogan of the 19th Asian Games, connects the city's railway stations and international airport, and has already made local residents' lives more convenient since its launch last year.

"By staging a successful edition of the Asian Games, we are trying to elevate the entire city's infrastructure and services," said Li.

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This will be my third Asian Games. We won the epee team gold medal at the previous two editions. I still love this sport, and I have been improving my skills and mindset. I believe all the hard work will pay off and we will try our best to leave without any regrets. See you in Hangzhou!

Sun Yiwen, reigning Olympic champion fencer

It's always an ambition and a privilege for me to represent China on the international stage. The Hangzhou Asian Games will be my second time competing on home soil. I will seize the chance to fight for glory.

Alex Hua Tian, China's star equestrian athlete

It is of great significance that the flame-lighting ceremony of the 19th Asian Game was held at the Large Mojiaoshan Foundation, which is located at the center of Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park. The flame here symbolizes the light of Liangzhu Culture as well as the upcoming Asian Games across time and space. It conveys the idea of the inheritance and development of sportsmanship.

Fang Xiangming, director of Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology

The music and dance were chosen to vividly present the original ecology of nature to match the surrounding primitive environment at the Liangzhu historical site. Primitive musical instruments such as the bone flute, or Gu Di in Chinese, and the Soil Xun, or Tu Xun in Chinese, are used in the performance, while actors perform classic Chinese dance and showcase the beauty of labor. The entire performance also contains many other elements of Liangzhu Culture.

Zhang Xiaofeng, chief director of the flame-lighting ceremony

After the 100-day countdown, the Asian Games are getting closer and closer. I'm so happy and honored to be a member of the gymnastics team. I hope our team can achieve good results at the home Asian Games.

Guan Chenchen, retired national team gymnast

After the successful fight against the pandemic, the Asian Games will open soon. I competed at three editions of the Games, but this time I will cheer from the sideline. I look forward to more glory for the nation and hope the sporting spirit will be passed to the next generation.

Chen Long, former Olympic champion badminton star