Jining establishes 15-minute fitness circles to help residents exercise daily. [Photo/WeChat account: Jining Daily]

Jining has established 15-minute fitness circles, ensuring residents can reach a workout spot within a quarter hour, with per capita sports space reaching 2.78 square meters.

For 62-year-old man surnamed Wang, this means a table tennis match just 10 minutes from home. "The government installed the equipment right at our doorstep," he said. The city now counts 8,032 fitness paths, 4,284 basketball courts, and 3,665 ping-pong tables. This year alone, 413 new pull-up bars and wall ladders were added to strengthen equipment in central urban areas.

Jining marathon draws runners from across the city and beyond. [Photo/WeChat account: Jining Daily]

The program extends beyond equipment. Jining's Jiaxiang county has converted 16 idle urban corners into fitness spaces, adding about 20,000 square meters of activity area. Across Jining, more than 30,000 social sports instructors now guide residents in schools, communities, and villages. Grassroots sports are thriving alongside the infrastructure. Community games have drawn over 1.6 million participants, while city-level basketball and football leagues run continuously.