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QINGDAO, Shandong province: The Beijing Olympics has inspired many Chinese to get into the sporting spirit, and Qingdao – as the host of the Olympic sailing events – is all spruced up with new sporting facilities.
Well-known for its Tsingdao beer, the peninsula hopes to promote a sporting culture in the city. To drive home the message, a residential district north of the city has undergone a revamp to epitomise all things sporty.
The local government had filled up an old canal and built a running track, basketball courts and numerous other sporting facilities to promote a sporty and healthy lifestyle among its residents.
18-year-old Shi Xiaodong is a regular at the basketball courts there. He would walk 15 minutes from his home just to have a game with his friends at the Qingdao Sports Street.
"This street is a good idea, especially for someone of my size. I can lose some weight. The facilities here are professional, like rubber flooring and standard hoops," said Shi.
Completed earlier this year, the sports street has become a hit even among those who live on the other side of the city.
Zheng Yujiao said: "I heard about this place from friends, who said this is a good place for sports. The facilities here are rather comprehensive and much better than those in other parks that I've seen."
Besides sporting facilities, the street also has apparel shops. The local government hopes the district will become a driving force of the local sports industry.
- CNA/so
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