China 2004-2008

THE PRE-GAMES TRAINING GUIDETHE 29TH OLYMPIC GAMES

message from bocog presi-dent

The City of Beijing, capital of China, is honored to host the

29th Olympiad in 2008. This is a great nonour for the country

and the city. It also represents a new development of the Olym-

pic Movement. It will promote the integration and exchanges

of various cultures throughout the world and offer an oppor-

tunity for athletes and people from around the world to en-

hance understanding and friendship.

The Chinese Government and people cherish this honour and

opportunity very much. Through unremitting efforts and ex-

tensive cooperation, we pledge to host a successful sporting

gala and bring a unique legacy to China and the world sport.

China, a longstanding Eastern civilization, has a history of

5,000 years. The ancient Chinese have left the world with bril-

liant cultural legacies in a sea of classics, exquisite handcrafts,

grandeur complexes and advanced technologies. The reform

and opening-up drive in the past 20-plus years has again called

forth enormous vitality in the country. Today's China features

stable politics, soaring economy and progressive society.

Beijing is China's political and economic center and a hub for

international communications. It has four distinctive seasons

and is renowned for its natural beauties. With over 3,000 years

of city evolution and a 850-year history of serving as capital

city, it is home to the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace

that epitomize the architectural refinement of ancient Chinese

royal palaces and gardens, as well as sections of the 2,000-year-

old Great Wall. Especially typical of Beijing are siheyuan

(quadrangles) whose layout symbolizes traditional Chinese

culture and Peking Opera that combines multiple stage arts.

This is a lively city full of historical and cultural interests.

Now, Beijing is advancing toward a modern international me-

tropolis in strides. Air routes originating from the city can reach

every corner of the world. Uninterrupted and convenient com-

puter networks provide real time information at all times and

places. In a beautiful natural environment, people enjoy the

July 2004Liu Qi

bounty of nature to their hearts' contents. Delicacies from

around the world and language-free life services add to the

comfort and pleasure of the stay of our guests coming from all

directions.

Following the concepts of "green Olympics, hi-tech Olympics

and people's Olympics," preparatory work for the Olympic

Games is in full swing in Beijing. We will offer first-class sports

venues and facilities to all athletes and guests to the 2008 Olym-

pic Games, as well as punctual and convenient transportation

services, nationally distinctive accommodation and catering

services up to international standards and colorful culture and

entertainment services, with the aim of making the Beijing

games a fond memory for everyone.

Through concerted efforts the 2008 Olympic Games will carry

forward the Olympic spirit and make its due contribution to

promoting world sport development, consolidating friendship

among sportsmen from across the world and helping the cause

of peace, friendship and progress of the mankind.

China and Beijing look forward to meeting all our friends in

the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008!

MESSAGE from President OFCHINESE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

The modern Olympic Games will come to Beijing, capital of

the homeland of the well-known Great Wall, for the first time

in its century-old history in 2008. Chinese athletes and sports

workers, along with the whole nation, are keenly waiting for

the exciting meeting with our counterparts and friends from

all over the world.

Surviving 100 years of twists and turns, the quadrennial Olym-

pic Games has become not only the most influential sports

meeting in the world, but also a grand gathering for people all

over the globe to share peace and friendship. Through pre-

paring and hosting the 29th Olympiad, we Chinese will join

hands with other members of the Olympic family to achieve

new progress in carrying forward the Olympic spirit and spread-

ing Olympic ideals, as well as to make new contribution to

sport development in China and the world at large.

China is a sport-loving nation, with thousands of years of sport

development. People can currently find embryonic forms of a

few modern sports events in some folk sport activities in an-

cient China. After China returned to the Olympic family, Chi-

nese athletes have achieved a large number of encouraging

results in successive Olympic Games and forged deep friend-

ship with their counterparts from other countries and regions.

With the improvement of living standards, sport has become

an integral part of the daily life of the Chinese public, young

people and teens in particular. They have become familiar with

a growing number of Olympic events and avid fans of them. It

is sure that all competitions in the 2008 Olympic Games will

be welcomed by the Chinese public and win their applause in

a friendly and warm atmosphere.

With the support of the Chinese Government and all walks of

life, preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games are progress-

ing smoothly. Venue construction, competition planning and

arrangement of relevant cultural activities are being carried

out in an orderly manner. In the coming four years, we will try

every means to provide athletes from around the world with

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Yuan Weimin

well-equipped and easy-of-access competition and training

venues, well planned competition schedules, methodical and

efficient services, a clean and resident-friendly Olympic Village

and colorful cultural activities.

We hope this Pre-Games Training Guide will enable members

of the Olympic family and their athletes know more about the

Pre-Games training possibilities in China, and help them in

their preparation to perform their best in the Olympic Games

in 2008.

We eagerly expect our friends from around the world to the

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games!

Prologue On July 13, 2001, Beijing was awarded the 29th Summer Olym-

pic Games in 2008. In the last three years, preparations for the

meeting have made great headway under the leadership of

the Chinese Government and with the support of the entire

nation.

In order to allow athletes from around the world to adapt them-

selves to competition conditions in China prior to the Games

and help them achieve the best results, active arrangements

are underway in Beijing and other regions of China, in efforts

to provide sound facilities and services for their pre-games

training.

The Pre-Games Training Guide has been prepared to provide

all NOCs with information on sporting facilities in China.

Its aims are:

a) to provide with information about the available training

facilities and services;

b) to give information on the regions where the facilities are

located; and

c) to help and athletes arrange their training in China to adapt

themselves to competition conditions in the country be-

fore the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Organizing Committee hopes

all NOCs can take advantage of this Pre-Games Training Guide

in their arrangement of pre-games training in China. However,

the organizing committee strongly advises all NOCs, planning

to send athletes to China for pre-games training, to contact

the Chinese Olympic Committee or the NOC Relations and

Services Division of the organizing committee for detailed in-

formation on facilities and services.