STORY: 100 days to go, Hangzhou ready for Asian Games
DATELINE: June 15, 2023
LENGTH: 0:04:54
LOCATION: HANGZHOU, China
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Hangzhou Asian Games venues
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): MAO KUN, Accessibility service office of venue construction department of Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HU HAORAN, Qunxing rolling lantern art troupe of Linping district in Hangzhou
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): TUNGAMIRAI ERIC MUPONA, Founder of Abroad Path Leader (APL) Public Service Platform

STORYLINE:

The 19th Asian Games is to be held in east China's Hangzhou this fall. It will be the third Asian Games to be hosted in China, after Beijing 1990 and Guangzhou 2010.

Over the past years, people from various walks of life have been striving to stage an impressive international sports event.

Mao Kun works at the accessibility office of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. He thinks his work is very meaningful to help the disabled, the sick and the elderly with mobility issues to watch the Games, and realize the goal of Hangzhou Asian Games for all.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): MAO KUN, Accessibility service office of venue construction department of Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee
"Currently I am mainly responsible for the accessibility construction of our 56 Asian Games and Asian Para Games venues. Since we are here to serve people with disabilities, why not put ourselves into their shoes? So we tried to sit on the wheelchairs and experience all the accessibility facilities in the venues by ourselves. As I'd never used a wheelchair before, I once even stumbled and fell from the wheelchair. And I also got a few blisters on my hand. So at that time, I truly felt the challenges that people with disabilities face in their daily lives.
The work we do is not only to serve people with disabilities, but also to serve the sick and elderly with mobility issues, to help them go out of their homes to the sports venues, watch the games they like and enjoy the Asian Games with many others. To realize the Hangzhou Asian Games for all, I think that's the true meaning of my job."

Hu Haoran is a 26-year-old rolling latern performer who has been practicing for performing at Hangzhou Asian Games. He has been working to combine traditional culture with modern ideas, so as to better pass them on.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HU HAORAN, Qunxing rolling lantern art troupe of Linping district in Hangzhou
"I have been a member of Qunxing rolling lantern art troupe for 4 years. Our Linping rolling lantern was listed among the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages on May 20, 2006. We also performed at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and the Shanghai World Expo in 2010. We also look forward to bringing the Linping rolling lanterns to the stage of the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, and introduce the Linping rolling lanterns to the world."

Linping rolling lantern is the folk art that integrates competition, martial arts, and dance. In Feb. this year, it was selected into the pool of warm-up programs at the opening ceremony of Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games.

Tungamirai Eric Mupona, a Zimbabwean master's student in Zhejiang University, has been living in Hangzhou for 6 years. He started an international non-profit organization in Hangzhou, hoping more international students can contribute to the development of the city.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): TUNGAMIRAI ERIC MUPONA, Founder of Abroad Path Leader (APL) Public Service Platform
"In 2019, I created 'Abroad Path Leaders,' which is an international public service platform. I hope that more international students around me can make contributions to this beautiful city of Hangzhou together with me.
As the Hangzhou Asian Games is around the corner, we also encourage the members of our platform to sign up for volunteering service for the Games. We wish to do something for this grand sports event. For now, about 10 international members have already signed up for being the Asian Games volunteers."

The 19th Asian Games will run from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8. The Games will feature a total of 483 events in 40 sports. By far, 56 competition facilities and 31 training facilities are ready for service.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hangzhou, China.
(XHTV)