STORY: Burgeoning mermaid contest in China attracts int'l athletes
DATELINE: Sept. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:29
LOCATION: SANYA, China
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of mermaid performers
2. various of Atlantis Sanya
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Korean): SEOLHWA HONG, Mermaid performer from South Korea
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BEFALIA AISARAHMADANI, Mermaid performer from Indonesia
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ANDY VARGAS, Merman from the U.S.
6. various of mermaid performers

STORYLINE:

2023 China Mermaid Open Championship Atlantis Station kicked off Tuesday in Sanya City in south China's Hainan Province, attracting more than 60 athletes from countries including China, America, Germany, and South Korea.

The two-day event is held in Atlantis Sanya, a landmark hotel in the city, covering men's singles, women's singles, four-person teams, and mermaid performances.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Korean): SEOLHWA HONG, Mermaid performer from South Korea
"The performances by all the Chinese mermaids were outstanding. I'm very surprised and learned a lot."

After years of development, China's mermaid competition sport has established a comprehensive set of competition standards, manuals, and venue criteria, filling a gap in the world of mermaid sports.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BEFALIA AISARAHMADANI, Mermaid performer from Indonesia
"Honestly, this is the best competition I've done so far. The preparation for everything is really detailed. The standard was, like, very clear. I think this is really good for the mermaid industry because this is a really new niche."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ANDY VARGAS, Merman from the U.S.
"I think that's something that should be the future of the mermaid community, elevating it to a standard that everybody can follow, so that we can make this something that is universally accepted."

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