全运会开幕：体育强国梦，潮涌大湾区
On Sunday evening, the 15th National Games opened at Guangdong Olympic Sports Centre. The ceremony combined tradition with technology. Dancers performed with intelligent robots playing “Gou Diao”, while AR/VR made the lion dance and dragon boat shows more exciting for the audience.
This year’s National Games are very special. For the first time, three regions — Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao — are working together to host China’s biggest sports event. This year’s event includes 34 competitive sports (419 events) and 23 mass participation sports (166 events), drawing over 20,000 athletes from across the country. Guangdong hosts athletics, swimming and more; Hong Kong holds fencing and golf; Macao stages table tennis and women’s volleyball. The highly expected men’s road cycling race covers 230 km, crossing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge six times at speeds over 40 km/h, linking all three regions.
A key goal of this year’s games is to protect the environment. Organizers are trying to make them the first carbon-neutral (碳中和的) National Games. In Guangdong, most of the 75 sports venues (场地) have been improved.
Besides sports, the games will also show new technology. In Guangzhou and Shenzhen, more than 100 self-driving “Robotaxi” cars will provide transportation. A new type of pilotless aircraft will also be used to carry people between venues. Technology is making the games safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly.