76‑year legacy of provincial sports gala meets new chapter in Linyi
Linyi is set to host The 26th Shandong Province Sports Games, marking the very first time the provincial comprehensive sports event comes to the old revolutionary Yimeng base after a 76‑year relay across Shandong province. The opening ceremony will take place on August 26 and the closing on September 5 at Linyi Olympic Sports Park.
Back in November 1950, the 1st Shandong Provincial Sports Meeting kicked off at Jinan Municipal People's Stadium. Over the following 76 years, the provincial games have travelled among major cities across Shandong. This edition breaks new ground by landing in Linyi.
The Games sets 38 major sports categories and 1,081 minor events with 1,620 gold medals available. Event categories have increased by 19 percent compared with the previous session. More than 13,000 registered athletes together with over 3,000 coaches and referees will take part, hitting record‑high scale in the history of Shandong provincial sports meets.
Competitions will be held across 12 counties and districts of Linyi. A total of 33 newly‑built and renovated venues spread all over the city, ranging from basketball halls and wrestling gyms to equestrian bases, BMX tracks, rock‑climbing sites and road cycling circuits. The spill‑over benefits of the Games extend far beyond the downtown core to boost balanced development among county‑level regions.
Covering 1,218 mu, Linyi Olympic Sports Park follows national Class‑A standards and consists of one main stadium, two gymnasiums and two centers. Divided into east and west zones along the Liuqing River, its architectural design draws inspiration from Yizhou crabapple, Linyi's city flower. The layout blends mountain‑and‑river local features with cultural elements and forms a striking new urban landmark.
Several pioneering highlights distinguish this edition of the Games. Figure skating and ice hockey make their debut on the competition roster, with an 83‑percent growth in cities registering for winter‑sport events. The gymnasium can swiftly transform into professional ice rinks, completing an important piece of Shandong's winter‑sports map. Multiple Olympic‑aligned disciplines including coastal rowing, baseball‑softball, equestrianism and golf have been introduced. Medal‑awarding places for three major ball games expand from top‑8 to top‑10 rankings to encourage local cities to cultivate more sports talent.
Guided by the concepts of smart, innovative, green, transparent and shared Games, official website and mobile App deliver instant event information. More than 4,200 event‑specific volunteers and 800 city‑wide volunteers have finished full training. Sixty‑one volunteer service stations build a three‑tier service system, rolling out a 15‑minute volunteer‑service circle covering the whole city.
The opening‑ceremony performance themed Chasing Dreams Amid Mountains and Seas: The Vibrant Yimeng will unfold in the 57,000‑seat main stadium. Centered on the Yimeng Spirit, the show builds a temporal dialogue spanning past, present and future. It depicts how the revolutionary spirit has evolved from wartime years into modern‑day pursuits, merging with sportsmanship. Adopting a 360‑degree panoramic immersive setup, the performance uses aerial shows, multi‑media light‑and‑shadow and naked‑eye 3D effects. Most performers are college students local to Linyi, presenting authentic youthful vitality of the city.
From the simple stadium of 1950 in Jinan to the grand modern complex of Linyi Olympic Sports Park in 2026, from 1,503 initial athletes to today's 13,000 participants, the provincial games witness the growth of Shandong's sports cause. Blending the Yimeng Spirit with Chinese sports ethos, Linyi stands fully prepared to host this remarkable sports gala.
Editor：韩蒙蒙