Sanya: The Asian Beach Games (ABG) is returning after a 10-year hiatus with host Sanya, putting a premium on sports tourism. A total of 63 gold medals in 14 sports will be awarded in the Games, which will be held on April 22 to 30 in the popular resort city situated in south China's Hainan province.
According to Philippines News Agency, 'It's not only all about sports but also promoting the host city,' said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino in a news release Thursday. 'We've been advocating already on sports tourism, that's why the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission are encouraging our country's very own hosting of international competitions," he added.
Tolentino said the POC is fielding 180 athletes who will compete in 3x3 basketball, open water swimming and water polo, aquathlon, beach athletics, beach handball, beach kabaddi, beach soccer, beach volleyball, beach wrestling, dragon boat, jiu-jitsu, sailing, sport climbing and teqball.
Sanya indicated its preparedness to host the sixth edition of the Games, last hosted by Danang in Vietnam in 2016, during the World Press Briefing and World Broadcasters Meeting earlier this week. Journalists representing traditional and new media from Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe attended the briefing conducted at the proposed site of the Main Press Center and Media Hotel at Jianghe Hotel and Resort.
Top officials of the Sanya ABG Organizing Committee presented the program for the games, fully supported by the Olympic Council of Asia. The briefing included an ocular inspection of the field of play for beach handball, sport climbing and beach volleyball as well as the Yasha Park Phase 1 Ring Theater, which will be the venue for the opening and closing ceremony.
Alongside the venue visit was a tour of the island's top tourist attractions, including the iconic Luhuitou Scenic Spot and the Xidao Island Fishing Village. The 45 national Olympic committees of the OCA are expected to send their athletes to the games, while Australia, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and New Zealand were invited to send their athletes.
The 5th Asian Beach Games organizing committee is composed of the People's Government of Sanya City and Hainan Province and their Tourism, Culture, Television, Radio and Sports departments, the Chinese Olympic Committee and the General Administration of Sports of China.
