Qinhuangdao is a co-host city of Beijing 2008 Olympics. A rising sports city, Qinhuangdao has the Training Bases of China General Administration of Sport, the Olympic Sports Center, China Football School, National Swimming and Diving Training Base, Hebei Province Water Sports School, Bicycle Sports School, Olympic Avenue Park, Forest Sports Park, and other advanced sports facilities. In recent years, Qinhuangdao successfully hosted World Class B Cycling Championship. Asia Triathlon, International Roller Skating Festival, China-Japan football matches, China-Thailand football matches, ”Good Luck Beijing” international women’s football matches, and some other important events.
For successful Beijing Olympic football matches, on the basis of the philosophy of “Green Olympics, Scientific Olympics and People’s Olympics”, Qinhuangdao put great efforts to the construction of event facilities, environment improvement, and serving Beijing. 740 million yuan was invested in the modern multi-functional Olympic Sports Center and its auxiliaries. The stadium for an audience of 32000 was completed and put into operation in 2004, the first facility completed in co-host cities, also China’s only general sports facility built at seaside. The city construction and Olympic facilities brought Qinhuangdao and its people into a new appearance improvement.
On July 30,2008, the Olympic torch relay arrived in Qinhuangdao. Started at the “Old Dragon’s Head”—the beginning of the Great Wall, and ended at Beidaihe Olympic Avenue Park, the torch relay covered 35 kilometers,7 kilometers of it on foot, by 208 torch bearers. Form Aug.6 till Aug.16,2008, Qinhuangdao hosted 12 football matches for 14 men or women teams from 13 countries at the Olympic Games. Over 2000 foreign or domestic guests or Olympic officials, 486 reporters from 113 media, and nearly 200 thousand spectators were at the great events. Qinhuangdao has fulfilled its commitment of presenting the world a festival of Olympic football games and an open, beautiful Qinhuangdao with its first class facilities, first class services, first class securities, first class environment and all-hearted endeavors. Qinhuangdao proudly received praises from IOC,FIFA,BOCOC and Hebei provincial government for its contribution to the Olympics.
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