Guangdong Provincial Games opens in Maoming

A grand ceremony raised the curtain on the 17th Guangdong Provincial Games at the Maoming Olympic Center yesterday evening, attended by Olympic champions native to the province, including Xian Dongmei, Chen Weiqiang, Sun Shuwei, Yang Wei, and Wang Qianyi. The 10th Guangdong Para Games are being held concurrently.

A scene from the opening ceremony of the Guangdong Provincial Games. Photos by Xinhua

Participated by 27,000 athletes from all 21 cities in Guangdong, the event is the largest‑scale, highest‑level, and most influential comprehensive sports gathering in the province. The competitive sports division features 934 events across 50 sub‑disciplines in 34 disciplines, while the amateurs’ division comprises 70 events in 10 disciplines. As the host city, Maoming is organizing 35 of the 50 sub‑discipline competitions in the competitive category, as well as all events of the Provincial Para Games.

A scene from the opening ceremony of the Guangdong Provincial Games. 

The primary inspiration and central image of the opening ceremony was a millennium‑old litchi tree, reflecting Maoming’s reputation as the “hometown of litchis in China. The show blended the landscapes of Guangdong’s 21 cities with Lingnan cultural elements such as the legend of the kind‑hearted Lady Xian, Cantonese opera, Wing Chun, and lion dance. It also traced Maoming’s history from ancient times through the 1950s, when the city thrived as an oil industrial hub, to the present day, when e‑commerce and livestreaming have transformed the lives of millions of farmers. They now sell their produce to global consumers.

Enhanced by naked‑eye 3D imaging technology and stunning stage effects, the ceremony showcased the spirit of sportsmanship and Lingnan charm.

A scene from the opening ceremony of the Guangdong Provincial Games. 

A special chapter of the opening ceremony was devoted to inclusiveness, as able‑bodied and disabled athletes from all 21 delegations walked side by side into the venue. In a particularly moving moment, 30 hearing‑impaired students performed the national anthem in sign language and also signed along during the final theme song.

In recent years, Maoming has made great efforts to develop green energy and high‑tech industries. The city has also accelerated the branding and modern transformation of its agricultural sector, while integrating cultural tourism with farming, laying a solid foundation for the integrated development of agriculture, culture, tourism, and sports.