China's inaugural Student (Youth) Games to open in Guangxi

NANNING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- As the first Student (Youth) Games of China opens on Sunday, athletes are gathering in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to showcase their athletic capabilities and aspirations for the future.

Organized by the Ministry of Education, the General Administration of Sports, and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Games will take place from November 5 to 15, featuring 39 sports, 51 disciplines and 805 events in open and campus categories, where more than 18,000 athletes will participate.

This marks the first time that Guangxi has hosted a national comprehensive sports event.

The Games is the result of a merger of the National Youth Games and the National Student Games as part of China's endeavor to improve the country's youth sports system, which is stated in a 2020 guideline on deepening the integration of sports and education to promote the healthy development of China's youth.

In the past, campus and professional youth sports competitions were separately held in China, and many students had to give up their studies in order to become professional athletes.

According to Lu Yiwen, deputy director of the Guangxi Sports Bureau, the Games will drive young people across China to actively participate in physical exercise, and improve their physical and mental health.