Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai has called on the whole community to join forces to ensure the success of the Macao Competition Zone for the upcoming 15th National Games, describing it as an opportunity to showcase the SAR’s emergence as a “city of sports.”
Speaking at the Mong-Há Sports Centre on Saturday, Sam presented the Macao SAR flag to the city’s delegation for the National Games, as well as to athletes for the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games. He also oversaw the swearing-in of volunteers who will serve during the events.
[See more: Here’s how Macao’s athletes are preparing for the National Games of China]
Sam highlighted the significance of Macao’s first-ever role as co-host of the National Games, alongside Guangdong and Hong Kong, calling it both a great honour and responsibility. The Games, he said, are not only the nation’s highest-level sporting competition, but also a platform for promoting regional integration across the Greater Bay Area. He urged the entire city to deliver high-quality competitions through professionalism and community spirit.
Macao will field more than 400 athletes for the National Games and over 180 competitors for the Games for Persons with Disabilities and the Special Olympics. Sam encouraged athletes to “surpass their limits” and “champion an athletic spirit of perseverance and teamwork,” while also praising the contributions of volunteers, whom he called “Macao’s finest ambassadors.”
According to the Global Times, preparations for the Macao Competition Zone are entering their final stage, with all venues scheduled for handover just days before competition equipment installation begins. Across the Greater Bay Area, organisers are working under the principles of “green, shared, open and clean Games, aiming for an event that is simple, safe and splendid.”
Volunteer training is also in full swing, with over 1,500 volunteers recruited in Macao, and tens of thousands more across Guangdong and Hong Kong. Training covers etiquette, emergency response, and competition logistics, while a command system connecting 105 venues across 19 cities will enable real-time monitoring of weather, transport and medical services.
[See more: How to buy tickets for the 15th National Games events being held in Macao]
Earlier this week, Sam joined Guangdong and Hong Kong officials in Guangzhou’s Nansha district for the flame-lighting ceremony of the Games.
The 15th National Games will take place from 9 to 21 November, with Macao hosting seven competitions, including women’s volleyball, table tennis, karate, and 3×3 basketball. Tickets are available via the official website and the WeChat account “National Games Special Olympics Macao Division.”
