JOIN USIt's Guangzhou's turn to amaze
In sporting terms, China climbed the Great Wall two years back when they organised the Olympic Games in outstanding fashion at Beijing. The level of perfection they achieved then might be difficult to match but the lessons from that extravaganza have been obviously put to good use going by the way the country is gearing up to host another multi-sport fiesta.
The scale at which Beijing mounted its show to impress the world was indeed enviable. China had a point to prove then. Guangzhou, the hosts of the 16th Asian Games, do not have that agenda but faced with the challenging task of conducting a mammoth event -- more than 10000 sportspersons from 45 nations and territories competing in 42 disciplines -- China’s third largest city has left nothing to chance.
The last-minute mad rush that characterised another recent mult-discipline event -- the New Delhi Commonwealth Games -- is totally absent in Guangzhou and with three days left for the opening ceremony, the city looks ready on all fronts.
The one-hour drive to the Asian Games Town -- the main hub of the event -- from the airport presents the picture of a bride on wedding day -- bedecked with flowers of myriad hues as the city is. In fact, Guangzhou looks eager to live up to its sobriquet of China’s Flower City, having spent 250 million yuan on flower arrangements alone.
All the 53 venues hosting the Games’ events are ready. So too is the Athletes’ Village, which is already teeming with activity. In fact, Tuesday was a busy day at the Village, with battalions of athletes from different nations checking in. More members of the shooting team joined the Indian camp as well, swelling their numbers. All is not perfect however, with food being a worrying point.
“Our arrangements were better in this regard,” said National shooting coach Sunny Thomas, comparing it to the Commonwealth Games. “But we will adjust. The shooters are in good spirits,” said Thomas.
Enthusiastic volunteers, willing to travel that extra yard to make one’s task easier, have already lifted Guangzhou’s spirits even though the Games’ fever is yet to catch on. Fans’ response to the event will be watched with great interest, with the country hosting its second Asian Games -- Beijing in 1990 was the first -- while the results management system too will come under sharp focus.
Delhi suffered because of its failure and how Guangzhou handles it will be crucial in the success of these Games. With the Beijing experience to back them, they might not stumble on this front, as it ushers in the biggest Asian Games in history.