Swimmer Sun Yang to take part at Chinese Spring National meet, paving way for National Games
Disgraced Chinese swimmer Sun Yang will next week compete for only the second time since his four-year drug ban was lifted in 2024, potentially paving the way for him to compete at the National Games.
Advertisement
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Sun confirmed that he will compete at the Chinese Spring National Championships in Qingdao, Shandong province, which runs from March 18 to 23.
The event gives Chinese swimmers the chance to qualify for the country's national championships in Shenzhen in May – one of two qualifying competitions for the National Games.
Sun, who was the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men's swimming, competed in the 400 metres freestyle at the National Summer Swimming Championships in August 2024.
His winning time of three minutes and 54.98 seconds was under the 3:58.71 that will be needed to qualify for the National Games, which will be held in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau from November 9-21.
'[On Saturday], I finished the plateau training. Before leaving, I habitually go to the training hall to practise in the water,' Sun said on Weibo.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong tourism sector urged to provide packages, discounts for National Games
Hong Kong's tourism sector should consider offering promotional packages including hotel discounts to spectators at the coming National Games, which the city will co-host in November, authorities have said. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Monday that a unified ticket sales platform would be used for all Games events to be held in Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macau, with more details to be announced soon. She said once the Guangdong Provincial Executive Committee had finalised ticketing policies, her bureau would encourage the tourism sector to develop various packages, with a view to attracting mainland Chinese and overseas visitors to attend the Games and explore Hong Kong. 'We have already got in touch with the tourism sector and hope that it can introduce some packages or discounts,' Law told a meeting of the Legislative Council's home affairs, culture and sports panel. 'When the ticketing arrangements are announced, all host cities will work together to tackle issues such as demand exceeding supply and scalping.' Tickets will be available via the official website and mobile applications, as well as offline channels such as official outlets and booths at venues.
RTHK
6 hours ago
- RTHK
All local TV stations to broadcast National Games
All local TV stations to broadcast National Games Rosanna Law says all National Games programmes will be produced by CCTV. Photo: RTHK Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law on Monday said all television stations in Hong Kong will broadcast the upcoming National Games. At a Legco panel meeting, sports sector lawmaker Kenneth Fok asked if local broadcasters would be able to televise the events. Law said the programmes will be produced by China Central Television (CCTV), but all television stations in the SAR could broadcast the events live. "For Guangdong and Macau, CCTV will be producing the shows. Hong Kong is not an exception," she said. "According to the plan, all television stations in Hong Kong will broadcast the events. I know that they have their work plans, and they are working to show more events to the public." Law added that Hong Kong-themed merchandise for the National Games is expected to be launched later this month and will be available at stores from July. Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong will be co-hosting the Games, and Hong Kong will stage eight competition events.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's co-hosting of National Games is about much more than sport
With China's 15th National Games set for November, Hong Kong's preparations are well under way. From Kai Tak Sports Park cutting its teeth on international events to the mobilisation of 15,000 local volunteers with training and test events, the city's preparations signal that the Games are more than a sporting event. It is a platform for rethinking how Hong Kong engages with its Greater Bay Area neighbours, the city's youth and the nation as a whole. Advertisement This year marks the first time that Hong Kong, together with Guangdong and Macau, will co-host the Games. It's a powerful step forward for the Greater Bay Area, not just in sports cooperation, but in soft power and civic connection. It is already shaping new experiences for Hong Kong's next generation, from students and athletes to volunteers. At the heart of this effort is the HK$30 billion (US$3.82 billion) Kai Tak Sports Park, officially opened in March. Hong Kong's largest-ever sports infrastructure investment features a 50,000-seat main stadium, a 10,000-seat arena and a 5,000-seat community sports ground. Since opening, it has hosted major events including the World Snooker Grand Prix and Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, which broke attendance records with over 130,000 tickets sold. These are just the start. With Kai Tak Sports Park expected to look at hosting more than 100 large-scale events annually to remain commercially viable, the National Games will be an anchor event. Beyond headline numbers, the Games will offer something more enduring: a test of whether Hong Kong can be a regional convenor, not just a competitor. Hong Kong will host eight events in the Games; in all, around 150,000 visitors, including athletes, coaches, spectators and the media, are expected. Based on earlier government estimates that various mega-events in the first half of the year would attract around 840,000 visitors to Hong Kong and generate some HK$3.3 billion in consumption expenditure, the National Games could generate around HK$600 million in visitor spending, and probably more. Advertisement The impact will not just be economic, but cultural as well. The 15,000 local volunteers are not only being trained in event logistics but also exposed to systems-level thinking, sustainability and problem-solving. These are skills that go a long way in Hong Kong's events economy.
