Swing competition venue surrounded by greenery

An aerial view of the swing competition venue of the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Amid the lush greenery surrounding Damao village in Jiyang district, the October air is filled with the scent of flowers and the sounds of birds. This picturesque setting is serving as the swing competition venue for the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities.

On Sept 28, the 2024 National Swing Competition for the People's Sports Cup and the test event for the swing competition of the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities kicked off here. More than 50 participants from 10 teams from Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Yunnan, Hunan, Tibet, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, and other regions took part.

The swing made its debut as a performance event at the 2nd 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities in 1982 and was officially included as a competitive event at the 3rd games in 1986. This traditional ethnic minority sports activity, rich in ancient traditions and cultural significance, has continuously evolved while retaining its traditional form. It is loved by the masses for its fitness benefits, competitive nature, entertainment value, and visual appeal.

"The swing competition venue is set on the grassland of Damao village, blending seamlessly with nature, allowing athletes to enjoy the picturesque scenery as they watch the competition," said Liu Xinyu, the project manager of the games' organizing committee.

The competition area measures 20 meters in length and 8 meters in width, with a 500-square-meter fixed function building housing VIP reception rooms, security rooms, media studios, competition meeting rooms, arbitration rooms, athlete changing rooms, volunteer facilities, equipment rooms, and storage areas.