The gold standard in efficiency

Smooth operation of Games enhancing enjoyment for athletes and fans alike

A total of 240 gold medals were awarded by the halfway point of the Asiad on Saturday, a statistic made possible by the Games' efficient operation and hard work of staff, according to organizers.

A total of 3,264 competitions have been staged in the 48 venues and stadiums, including Hangzhou Olympic Centre Gymnasium, Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium, and the Huanglong Sports Centre Venue Cluster.

The events completed by the halfway point accounted for 74 percent of the total number of sports and produced 50 percent of the total gold medals.

Among them, 14 sports, including swimming, modern pentathlon, and beach volleyball, have been successfully completed.

"The Hangzhou Asiad is the largest Asian Games in terms of participation, so the organization and management of the entire event are very complex and specific," said Xu Deqing, director of the publicity department of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee, on Sunday at the Main Media Center.

Xu Deqing added that a total of 4,573 technical officials, 78 competition teams, 1,534 flag raisers and related personnel, 31 independent training venue teams, and 839 stadium staff have participated in the Games so far.

"We continuously adapt to changes in the competition schedule, rules, equipment, and other software and hardware facilities, ensuring the precise operation of various events," Xu Deqing said.

Xu Jiawei, spokesperson for Huanglong Sports Centre Venue Cluster, said that smooth crowd management is a priority for organizers.

"Our aim is to ensure that spectators are in their seats within an hour of queuing up to enter the venue, and that the entire admission process is completed within two hours. So far, all five competitions at the venue cluster achieved this goal," Xu Jiawei added.

Some venues are still open to the public during the Hangzhou Asian Games.

"We have elderly activity centers, indoor training centers, outdoor tennis courts, and football pitches, with an average of 3,500 people admitted to exercise every day during the Asiad," said Xu Jiawei of the Huanglong venue cluster.

Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium, which hosts table tennis and breaking, is known as the "National Ball Center". Spanning 22,000 square meters, the venue can accommodate 6,000 seats.

"Since the venue's opening, it has become a popular spot for leisure, fitness, and entertainment for the public. It has been very popular during Mid-Autumn Festival thanks to its shape, which resembles a moon or a mooncake," said Wu Weiming, spokesperson for the sports park.

Wu added that the venue's oval shape is inspired by the jade cong, an ancient Chinese artifact from the Liangzhu civilization.

Wu promised that fans are in for a treat when the hotly anticipated breaking competitions begin on Oct 6.

"We learned a lot from hosting the Asian Breaking Championships, and we've further improved the stage presentation, especially in terms of lighting, music, DJs and audience interaction so that fans will have a much better experience," he said.

"We're even going to stage a very cool light show to warm up the crowd, during which spectators will receive gifts from our staff and hopefully enjoy a really memorable experience."