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Beijing’s Post-Olympic era: inheriting the legacy |
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16:17, January 13, 2009 |
After seven years of preparation, China fulfilled its promise and presented the world with a splendid Olympics in 2008. As the holy fire went out at the top of the Bird's Nest and the Olympic zeal gradually waned, China entered the so-called Post-Olympic era.
Combination of sport and education, reform on profession as well as national fitness program that people have been calling for years have once again come under spotlight as the key words for the reform on sports in China.
Where will China's sport go during the Post-Olympic period? There could be many answers. However, one thing could be certain: its direction will follow the demand from the general public and make more people enjoy the results of 30-year of reform and opening up.
A delegation of World Martial Arts Games will have an inspection tour on venues in Beijing on January 14. “If Beijing can hold the first World Martial Arts Games in 2010, this will definitely open a new page in the Post-Olympic era,” said an official in charge of sport in Beijing.
The Olympics has greatly promoted Beijing's image and its influence in international competitions. Therefore, various games and competitions held in Beijing also gained better international fame. Apart from those, great changes also took place in competition organizations and operation.
Making Beijing the centre of world sport
In addition to the World Martial Arts Games, Beijing is also a hopeful candidate for hosting the 2014 World Basketball Championship for men, which will be announced in March this year. For tennis, China Open has been listed as a "super contest" with both men's and women's events this year, enabling it to become the top one comprehensive tennis game in Asia. The bonus also jumps to 4.7 million dollars from the previous 1.08 million.
A long-term planning has been made for the Beijing Olympic legacy and the city hopes to carry on the Olympic effect. Large number of venues built for the Olympics will be better utilized instead of staying idle. Besides serving for national fitness campaign, the venues will also be used for hosting competitions.
Beijing is trying hard to become the centre of sports for various events such as basketball, tennis, car racing, athletics, cycling and triathlon. The government should lend more support and help when the city is hosting international competitions. This will create favorable conditions for attracting large events to China like the China Tennis Open.
Sport becoming the fifth necessity of life
Sport has become the fifth necessity of life besides clothing, food, housing and transport. The preparation and organization of Beijing Olympic have made sport an indispensable part of most ordinary Chinese's life, with more than 60 percent of local residents taking part in various fitness programs. Beijing will further improve the fitness service system and ensure general public with more opportunities to do physical exercise.
Beijing municipal government will invest a total of nine million yuan for the construction of sport infrastructure in 2009 and arouse people's interests by hosting various sports activities such as marathon and table tennis competition.
Beijing will lay special stress on the development of sport related trades such as recreation, live performance, exhibition and so on, creating a comprehensive industrial chain connecting sport with culture, tourism and mass media. It is estimated that the turnover generated by sport and sport related industries will account for three percent of GDP in Beijing by 2010.
No "valley effect" allowed
First-class Olympic venues serve as a backup for the development of sport during Post-Olympic period. 31 competition venues and 45 training venues used for the Olympics and Paralympics, 6010 sports venues already in use and over 6000 public fitness centers make Beijing be the No.1 city in terms of sporting and recreational facilities in China. Thanks to the Olympics and Paralympics, Beijing now possesses a large number of talents specialized in sport. This created favorable conditions for the development of sport.
Economic, sports and academic circles predicted that a "valley effect" would occur after the Olympics. However, facts show that Beijing has entered a new phase of steady and sustained development during the Post-Olympic period. The municipal government is quickening its steps to make Beijing the world centre of sport.
By People's Daily Online
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2009-01/13/content_175234.htm
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