On August 26, the Mini Ironman Growth Medal of the 14^th Beijing Olympic City Sports & Culture Festival was held at the Yongle Youth Sports Camp, Shisanling Reservoir. Deputy director Gao Yunchao of Beijing Olympic City Development Center and Shi Fenghua, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, attended the event and the award ceremony.

The gun-firing ceremony

The Mini Ironman Growth Medal was an important mass sports event held during the 14^th Beijing Olympic City Sports & Culture Festival. It consisted of three sports: swimming, cycling and running, and the contestants were divided into “Ultra Short Distance (U15) (13-15 years old),” “Ultra Short Distance (U12) (10-12 years old)” and “Mini Distance (U9) (6-9 years old)” groups. The U9 group needed to complete 200 meters of swimming, cycling of 6 km, and a run of 1 km, and the U12 and U15 groups, 200 meters of swimming, cycling of 8 km, and a run of 2 km. More than 500 youngsters took part in the event and they passed the triathlon venue of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. With the sound of the starting gun, the young athletes charged forward, finished the swimming leg quickly and then jumped onto the bicycles, and completed the final sprint to finish the game. After fierce competition, each group winner and the youngest finisher were announced and received awards from the Organizing Committee.

Gao Yunchao posing for a photo with the winners of Boys’ U15 (aged 13-15) Group

Shi Fenghua posing for a photo with the winners of Girls’ U15 (aged 13-15) Group

>Wang Chao, chief of Shisanling Town, posing for a photo with the winners of the U12 (aged 10-12) Group

Kang Dezhu, deputy director of Changping District Sports Bureau, posing for a photo with the winners of the U9 (aged 6-9) Group

Liu Ying, head of the Event Department of Beijing Olympic City Development Center, posing for a photo with the youngest finishers

Warming up before the game

Diving into the water

In the swimming competition

Getting ready for cycling

In the running competition

Crossing the finishing line

Wearing the medal on the head

Li Feixinyu who participated in the race last year, said that he was very happy to participate in the race again this year. Through last year’s race, he realized the gap between himself and the high-performance children, and worked hard in daily exercise to catch up with them. He has found joy in the exercise, and exercise has become part of his life.

Gao Yunchao, on behalf of the organizer, said that by hosting this year’s event in the triathlon venue of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, they hoped that the young contestants would “compete” with the Olympians beyond the limit of time and space, and continue to pass on the Olympic spirit. The event was also a useful attempt to combine the national fitness-for-all activities and the post-Games use of Olympic venues. In addition, that concept of “family” was stressed to encourage more parents to participate in the event, so as to better play the event’s exemplary role, integrate the Olympic legacy into the daily life of more people, and make exercise part of the healthy way of life for more families and the whole society. Driven by this brand event, the sports, culture, and tourism industries in Changping will develop in an integrated manner. On September 3, the organizer will also hold the RUN GIRLS race at Qikongqiao Huahai and Shisanling Reservoir, Changping.

A mother and her son at the competition

According to the organizer, this year they upgraded the competition setup and services by referring to the criteria of professional sports events, and provided equipment, insurance, timekeeping, prizes, volunteering, medical aid, epidemic prevention and control, and order maintenance services. They also made the competition site more practical, comfortable and beautiful, to deliver a more professional, comfortable competition experience. Meanwhile, the contestants and their accompanying families could enjoy a special discount of 66% off at most in seven business forms during the sports, culture and tourism consumption season in Changping.

Distributing the timing device on site

Initiated and first hosted by BODA in 2010, the Beijing Olympic City Sports & Culture Festival is an important Olympic legacy brand project recognized by the International Olympic Committee. It has been held for 13 consecutive years, and has attracted more than 15 million participants. The Festival has played an active role in spreading the Olympic spirit, promoting the building of a “healthy China” and helping to build Beijing into an international exchanges center. It has become an influential urban sports and culture brand for promoting fitness for all.