The 15th National Games of the People’s Republic of China opened on the evening of Nov. 9 at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, with athletes and technological innovations from Nanshan District featuring prominently in the ceremony.

The opening ceremony masterfully blended traditional Lingnan culture with cutting-edge technology, creating a rich visual and cultural experience. Multiple elements from Nanshan were highlighted on the national stage.

The Guangdong provincial delegation, the largest at the Games with 1,072 athletes, includes 43 competitors from Nanshan. Among them are Olympic gold medalists and national champions such as Wang Liuyi, Wang Qianyi, Zhang Yuetong, Ouyang Yu, and Yan Siyu. They are set to compete in 17 events, including swimming, synchronized swimming, diving, sport climbing, basketball, and handball.

In a highlight of the ceremony, Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, the Nanshan-born synchronized swimming sisters who won gold in both the team and duet events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, served as the fourth torchbearers. They carried the flame high as they ran through the stadium.

Wang Liuyi (R) and Wang Qianyi (L) serve as the fourth torchbearers at the opening ceremony.  File photo

In an interview before the ceremony, they expressed their excitement about the Games being held in their home region. “It’s a rare opportunity for the National Games to be hosted right on our doorstep,” they said. “With so many family and friends in the audience, we are eager to deliver our best performance for all the spectators who support us and love synchronized swimming, hoping to make more people fall in love with this sport.” The Walker S2 robots from Nanshan company UBTECH gave a performance at the opening ceremony. Courtesy of UBTECH

The ceremony also made history with the appearance of the world’s first humanoid robot opening guests. Three fully autonomous, embodied intelligent humanoid robots – the Walker S2 from UBTECH, representing Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao – struck eight ancient bronze goudiao bells, excavated from the Nanyue King Mausoleum in Guangzhou and dating back to the Western Han Dynasty.

This fusion of advanced robotics and 2,000-year-old cultural relics created a resonant harmony across millennia, officially commencing the artistic and cultural performance segment of the opening ceremony.

Furthermore, in a special program aired ahead of the main event, a CMG reporter visited a smart community fitness facility in Nanshan’s Sihai Park. There, he experienced intelligent workout equipment, including smart competition bikes, showcasing how technology is empowering public fitness.

The segment also featured the Yuehai Subdistrict Cultural and Sports Center, an integrated complex housing a stadium, a natatorium, and a cultural center. The center not only meets the diverse cultural, sports, and recreational needs of local residents but has also become a popular destination for residents from Hong Kong.