On August 8, the nation celebrated the fifth National Fitness Day. Recently, Shanghai has been experiencing persistent high temperatures, and tomorrow’s forecast remains hot. How can National Fitness Day be celebrated vibrantly amid the heatwave? The Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau put a lot of thought into it, scientifically arranging over 300 sports events and activities to make the holiday more accessible, convenient, and beneficial to the public.
This year, the most distinctive feature of National Fitness Day is the cancellation of large-scale ceremonial events. The annual Shanghai National Fitness Joint Conference, usually held on August 8, has been transformed into an occasion where participants go deep into the grassroots level, joining the public in their fitness routines and celebrating together.
According to the characteristics of the high-temperature weather, the Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau has made scientific, reasonable, and effective arrangements for various events and activities across the city. On the morning of National Fitness Day, the day begins with shooting hoops. The Shanghai Citizens' Sports League’s Citizen Basketball Shooting Competition and the NBA Million Shots Campaign start at 7:00 AM, with over 200 public basketball courts across the city simultaneously welcoming citizens to participate in shooting. Spectators can sign up to join on-site. By around 8:00 AM that day, the total number of basketball shots by Shanghai citizens had reached 1.5 million.
Subsequently, the “Moon Bay” area of the Oriental Sports Center will begin welcoming visitors. The first Citizens’ Diving Competition of the Shanghai Citizens' Sports League will be held from August 10 to August 25 at the Oriental Sports Center. Tomorrow, registered citizens will receive training in the diving pool.
Over the years, fitness instructors have played a pivotal role in citizens’ fitness activities. On National Fitness Day, over 700 first-class social sports instructors across the city will don new uniforms to provide volunteer services to fitness enthusiasts.
As part of the sports feast on National Fitness Day, over 50 public sports venues and more than 300 public sports grounds across the city will be open to the public free of charge. Free activities include popular options such as swimming (28 venues), badminton (22 venues), table tennis, and tennis. In addition, community fitness testing stations in the city will also offer free physical fitness tests to citizens. Notably, some commercial sports venues in Jing’an District and Changning District will also be open to the public for free.
With Shanghai experiencing continuous extreme high temperatures, the Municipal Sports Bureau also offers a friendly reminder: citizens should try to schedule fitness activities during the early morning or evening during hot weather, avoid outdoor activities around noon, take proper measures against heatstroke, and be cautious to prevent heat-related illnesses.
Jiang Chengji, Director of the Mass Sports Department of the Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau, stated, “We hope that when the public visits open venues, they follow the relevant regulations, heed the guidance of venue staff, and avoid potential safety hazards. We want to ensure that this good deed for the public is truly well done.”
With Shanghai experiencing continuous extreme high temperatures, the Municipal Sports Bureau also offers a friendly reminder: citizens should try to schedule fitness activities during the early morning or evening during hot weather, avoid outdoor activities around noon, take proper measures against heatstroke, and be cautious to prevent heat-related illnesses.
Jiang Chengji, Director of the Mass Sports Department of the Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau, stated, “We hope that when the public visits open venues, they follow the relevant regulations, heed the guidance of venue staff, and avoid potential safety hazards. We want to ensure that this good deed for the public is truly well done.”