Sanya to stage Asian Beach Games torch relay on March 30

Sanya (China), March 23 (IANS) The organisers of the 6th Asian Beach Games 2026 announced on Monday that the torch relay for the upcoming games in Sanya will be held on March 30. Around 1,790 athletes will be taking part in 14 sports, 15 disciplines, and 62 events that will be featured in the Games.

Wang Guoping, deputy director of the organising committee, said the torch relay will highlight the city's coastal scenery and vibrant sports culture.

"The torch relay will showcase the unique appeal of beach sports through elements such as sunshine, coastline, and sandy beaches," Wang said. "It will present Sanya as a tropical seaside city with a growing sports culture, while also highlighting its role in the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port."

The opening ceremony, themed around vitality, openness, and joy, will be held on April 22 at Sanya Asian Beach Games Park, reports Xinhua.

The Games will run from April 22 to 30, with a total of 1,790 athletes confirmed to take part.

According to the organisers, national and regional Olympic committees from 45 countries and regions have signed up for the event. Following qualification reviews, the number of registered athletes stood at 1,790 as of March 20.

The Games will feature 14 sports, 15 disciplines, and 62 events. The women's beach football event has been cancelled due to an insufficient number of teams, while all other events will go ahead as planned.

The top five sports by number of participants are beach handball, dragon boat, beach athletics, ju-jitsu, and beach volleyball. Beach handball has attracted the largest number of athletes, with 237.

In terms of delegation size, the top five participating teams are Thailand, China, the Philippines, India, and Hong Kong-China.

Li Haigang, deputy secretary-general of the organising committee, said the overall competition schedule and event timetables have been optimised and will be released soon. "The detailed timing of events will be clarified to help media and spectators better plan their viewing schedules," he added.

Meanwhile, operational teams at all competition venues have completed multiple rounds of training, tabletop exercises, and test events. "In 30 days, athletes, coaches, and officials from across Asia will gather in Sanya to compete amid its blue seas and sandy beaches," Li said. "We will spare no effort in our preparations to provide a high-quality competition environment and deliver splendid Games."

--IANS

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