Runners in Shanghai set off on a themed long-distance relay race staged as part of the celebrations to mark the 100-year anniversary of the foundation of the Communist Party of China. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Party's 100-year anniversary hits the road for long-distance relay race
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China this year, the nation's sports community is staging a series of special events to honor the CPC's glorious history and further promote the national fitness campaign.
Among the multitude of events so far was a long-distance relay run in Zhejiang province on April 11. A total of 800 runners from 100 teams started the 132.8-kilometer challenge at the memorial site of the First National Congress of the CPC in Shanghai, with the finish line located at a site of huge historical significance to the Party－the South Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province.
In 1921, the first CPC National Congress reconvened in a red boat on the lake after it was interrupted by authorities in what was then the French concession in Shanghai.
"I'm very excited to attend the event today. It's an opportunity to influence the next generation," said Bao Qi, a 97-year-old former navy general who was a guest of honor at the relay's brief opening ceremony.
"I joined the Communist Party of China in 1942－nearly 80 years ago. I lived in Shanghai through my childhood. When I was in the second year of middle school, my teacher at that time called us to defend our nation in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. That's when I became a soldier.
"The CPC leads the country to be stronger and richer. I want to encourage the future generations of our country to keep fighting for China and build a better and better future."
The eight-man Jiaxing Red Boat Pioneers team ran out the winner of the grueling race, clocking an impressive 7 hours 50 minutes and 19 seconds.
"Our team is comprised of physicians, students, teachers and police officers. We are all regular participants in marathons and long-distance running events," said team leader Kong Jie.
"This is a very special event for all of our runners. And we are deeply honored to run the race. We hope our spirit can influence others and attract more people to running and sports in general. We want to make our own contribution to the national fitness campaign."
Guaranteeing the safety of all participants without compromising the quality of the race was a tough challenges for organizers. With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging in many parts of the world, runners, staff, volunteers and media were required to report their travel histories within 14 days and submit negative COVID-19 test results 72 hours in advance.
Runners were required to maintain a meter's distance from each other at each of the seven changeover points, and were asked to wear face masks after the race.
Two-hundred referees, 300 volunteers and over 3,000 security staff were on duty to safeguard runners, while 37 medical stations－20 in Shanghai and 17 in Zhejiang province－were positioned along the track. Shanghai provided 15 ambulances; Zhejiang had 10 at the ready.
"Jiaxing has experience of hosting marathon races, and we continuously communicated with Shanghai on how best to host such a special event," said Wang Lei, the director of Jiaxing Sports Bureau, co-organizer of the relay.
"Both Shanghai and Jiaxing were the birthplaces of the Communist Party of China. We've been planning the event since last year and we even hosted test events. After we made the announcement to host the event, we received very positive feedback from local runners and running groups. And we had great input from other government departments and enterprises."
A total of 800 runners from 100 teams started the 132.8-kilometer race, which finished in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Money spinner
The success of the relay comes as little surprise considering both Shanghai and Zhejiang boast a rich sports tradition, fast-growing sports economies and massive grassroots sports populations.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China under the leadership of the CPC, a total of 13 Olympians from Shanghai have won 19 Olympic gold medals, while 400 Shanghai natives have been crowned world champions across a vast array of sports. In the last five years, Shanghai has organized over 700 major domestic and international sports events.
According to 2019 data from the city's sports bureau, 43.7 percent of Shanghai's population regularly participate in sports activities. Shanghai's total sports industry was valued at over 178 billion yuan ($27 billion) in 2019, growing at an average rate of 18 percent since 2014.
Zhejiang boasts 12 Olympic champions with 18 Olympic golds. Official statistics show that about 42 percent of the province's population regularly participates in sports. In addition, it is the home to 11 national sports industry bases, with its sports industry valued at 261.5 billion yuan and comprised of over 36,000 companies. The province is also preparing to host the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
"Sports can be an indicator of a nation's overall strength, and sports development is closely connected to a country's overall development. Under the leadership of the CPC, Zhejiang's sports sector has experienced tremendous development for the past century along with social and economic growth," said Zheng Yao, the director of Zhejiang Sports Bureau.
"To facilitate sports development, we have been exploring new methods and have achieved great results in competitive sports, grassroots fitness and the sports industry.
"Sports can also greatly benefit people's lives, of course. The healthier people are, the more power a society can harness for its overall development. We should provide people with the best quality and most convenient sports service via a variety of methods."
Bao Qi, a 97-year-old former navy general who joined the CPC in 1942, was a guest of honor at the race's opening ceremony. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Zhejiang is certainly delivering on those principles. Deqing county in Huzhou, for example, is attracting urbanites from nearby cities to its Moganshan Sports Town to enjoy outdoor activities and clean air in the mountainous area.
The 185-square-kilometer Moganshan township has a population of 31,000, with forest coverage of 90 percent. The area's rugged terrain makes it a perfect location to host outdoor activities.
Xia Yusen operates a sports-themed homestay, named Qiyu, in Moganshan Sports Town. Each week he organizes various outdoor sports activities, such as hiking, camping and mountain biking, with both visitors and locals signing up for the fun.
"I want to attract all sports lovers to my homestay so we can enjoy the benefits and fun of outdoor activities. We can gather together and communicate," said Xia, who claimed his business earned about 400,000 yuan ($61,000) profit last year.
"Visitors can play various sports here in the homestay such as table tennis, rock climbing, swimming and have fitness training in our gym. And we also have outdoor activities here like hiking and mountain biking. We organize different outdoor sports activities according to the weather conditions of the different seasons.
"I have turned my sports hobby into my career. I can use my experience in sports to better serve the local residents and visitors who come to Moganshan and let them enjoy the charm of outdoor sports activities. There are many famous sports town in the world, but they are not so common in China. I hope to help build Moganshan into one of the country's most renowned sports towns."
