Zhejiang province held a delegation inauguration and flag-presenting ceremony for the 15th National Games on Oct 30 at the Huanglong Sports Center, which will open on Nov 9 in Guangzhou. The province is sending 824 athletes, the largest delegation in its history.

Zhejiang athletes will compete in 28 major events and 43 sub-events. The lineup includes several Olympic and world champions, including Wang Shun, Xu Jiayu, Pan Zhanle, and Shi Zhiyong.

Of the delegation, 428 are men and 396 women. The youngest athlete is 10-year-old skateboarder Sheng Yixin, while the oldest is 52-year-old equestrian Jia Haitao. The average age for competitors in elite events is 20.4.

The province will shoulder medal expectations in its traditional strengths, including swimming, badminton, rowing, canoeing, and weightlifting. Emerging events are also gaining traction: sport climbing qualified full entries, skateboarding reached the final stage for the first time, and surfing and breaking also secured spots.

Zhejiang will additionally field a diving team at the National Games for the first time. Olympic badminton champions Chen Yufei and Huang Yaqiong said they are fully prepared and aiming for strong results.

The 15th National Games will run from Nov 9 to 21 across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, featuring 34 major events and 419 disciplines in competitive sports, as well as 23 major events and 166 disciplines in mass-participation sports.