Shuangliu, Chengdu, China -- Famous Airport City for Sports Competition Rising to Stardom

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CHENGDU, China, Aug. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 8, 2019, the 19th World Police and Fire Games (hereinafter referred to as WPFG) officially kicked off inside the Shuangliu District Sports Center in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, according to Shuangliu District government. As an important component in Chengdu's aim to position itself as an internationally famous city for sports competitions, Shuangliu District plays host to the opening ceremony of this year's WPFG and a wide range of the games' top events.

A biannual competition, this is the first time the WPFG has been hosted in an Asian city, and this time nearly 10,000 athletes from 80 nations and regions such as the United States, Germany and Canada will participate in this athletic spectacle to span a total of ten days.

When asked about why Chengdu was chosen as the host of this year's games, WPFG Director Danny Bodycoat replied: "When the Chengdu police force made their debut at the games in 2007, their spirit left with us a very distinct impression. Over the course of further observations and investigations, we discovered that the city of Chengdu is a stand-out in many areas, from passion and dedication to professionalism and venue availability, and thus the choice was made."

Major International Sports Competition Showcases Chengdu Charisma

In recent years, the city of Chengdu has taken an active approach in attempting to position itself as a world-famous sports competition city, exemplified in efforts such as the creation of the Tianfu Greenway system and ensuring the progress of key projects like the Tianfu Aoti City and Longquan Mountains Urban Forest Park. In addition, Chengdu City has also been engaged in promoting the integration between culture, sports and tourism, stimulating physical exercises among the populace through the "Sports Chengdu" campaign and instigating development in its competitive sports and sports industry.

With regard to the fledgling sports scene of Chengdu, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. once said: "The Chengdu International Marathon is well-known around the world, and I believe that Chengdu has already risen as one of the best cities in the world to host large-scale sports events."

Just as Mr. Samaranch Jr. remarked, at present an increasingly larger number of major international sports contests have chosen Chengdu as its host. Other than the ongoing WPFG, Chengdu has also acquired the rights for the World University Games in 2021 and the World Games in 2025.

Assembly of International Sports Events in Shuangliu, Famous Airport City for Sports Competition Rises to Stardom

As a component crucial to Chengdu's effort to position itself as an internationally famous sports competition city, in recent years Shuangliu has hosted a rising number of national-level and international sports events. This famous airport city for sports competition is ascending at an unbelievable pace.

Since 2014, the "Panda Cup" International Youth Football Tournament has kicked off every year on the grounds of the Shuangliu District Sports Center. After half a decade of growth, the "Panda Cup" has developed into a cradle where future football phenoms are found and forged. 

Since its deubt in 2016, the ATP 250 Chengdu Open has always been held in Shuangliu to this day and is currently the highest-caliber international tennis competition to ever take place in Chengdu. As such, the Sichuan provincial capital joins Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen as the fourth city in China to host the ATP Tour.

Furthermore, the Shuangliu Airport International Marathon, Chengdu Women's Half Marathon and National Women's Half Marathon Championship, as well as The Belt and Road Chengdu-Australian Open University Tennis Championship and a series of other international contests have also been held in Shuangliu to fantastic fanfare.

Within merely a year, more than ten international sports competitions have taken place in Shuangliu to great success, catapulting the district into the limelight on the stage of top-notch international sports events.

Comprehensive and Upscale Sports Venues Crucial to Hosting Competitions

The hosting of top-tier sports competitions hinges upon the availability of top-class venues. Four decades ago, the only sporting ground in Shuangliu was a mud field, but since 2008 Shuangliu has dedicated tremendously to improving its sports hardware and facilities.

In July 2008, the Shuangliu District Sports Center was completed and put into service, and became a landmark at the heart of the new downtown region of the district. Thereafter, the China Modern Pentathlon Events Center, Sichuan International Tennis Center, Sichuan Mudi International Golf Club, Chengdu Blades Football Club and Sichuan Provincial National Badminton Training Base were built. A myriad of high-standard and modernized sports facilities capable of meeting the demands for a wide array of  large-scale multi-sports events and professional single sport competitions materialized all across Shuangliu, providing solid support conducive to the hosting of an even bigger number of major international sports events.

Support Facilities Overhaul and Establishment of "City of Sports" for All Citizens

Other than magnificent and state-of-the-art sports venues, a flight network with global connectivity makes it not only possible but highly convenient for athletes from all corners of the world to come to Chengdu Shuangliu to partake in large-scale international sports competitions. At present, Shuangliu International Airport has 345 flights available including 117 international (regional) services, with both the number of routes and layout of routes being the best in central and western China. The Shuangliu flight network covers the world's five major continents and passengers may reach the majority of the world's biggest cities within a 15-hours flight from Shuangliu.

The fabulous green ecology and environment meanwhile are also vital to compelling top sports events to choose Shuangliu as its host. As an integral part of the city of Chengdu's plan to establish a "garden city", Shuangliu is home to the biggest urban wetland park in Asia, the 15,000mu Airport Central Park and Pan-City Ecological Scenery Belt, among other projects, which serve to drive Shuangliu further on its path to become a famous airport city for sports competition.

In the future, Shuangliu will continue to lean on Chengdu's increasingly comprehensive greenway system, endeavor to position itself as a "city of sports" for all citizens, continue to plan and design routes specially dedicated to sports competitions, improve various support facilities and functions, introduce more renowned sports clubs or sports organizations to establish a presence in Shuangliu, and form an airport sports competition cluster. Moreover, Shuangliu will also continue to speed up its pace of opening-up, create an aviation economic ecology with international competitiveness, and devote itself to becoming the aviation economic capital of China.

SOURCE Shuangliu District Government