With the theme “Passing Friendship, Meeting in Sanya,“ the relay route creatively integrates three settings: beach, road and sea. This design fully showcased Sanya’s unique coastal scenery and highlighted the distinctive charm of an island-based sports event.
Chang Yani, champion of the women’s synchronized 3m springboard at the Paris Olympic Games, was the first torchbearer. “Facing the vast ocean and running with the torch on the beach—this feeling is really special,” Chang said. Liu Shiwen, gold medalist in the women’s table tennis team at the Tokyo Olympic Games, completed about 2.5 kilometers of the relay by boat, gliding over the waves and showcasing the beauty of Sanya from the sea.
Along the route, four themed cultural performances energized the relay. Dynamic water sports demonstrations included jet ski stunts, flyboarding, freestyle kayaking, and wake surfing. Hainan’s local culture was presented through Li brocade fashion shows, bamboo pole dances, Qiong opera, and Yazhou folk songs. A performance combining robotic lion dances and drumming further showcased the innovative vitality of the Asian Beach Games.
“The Sanya Asian Beach Games is the first international multi-sport event held since the full implementation of independent customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port. It will serve as a grand sports gathering for Asian youth to compete and foster friendship, and a cultural gala where Asian civilizations exchange, learn from, and shine alongside one another,” said Song Luzeng, vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia.
The 6th Asian Beach Games will take place in Sanya, China from April 22 to 30. A total of 1,790 athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees, including those of Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, have registered to compete. The Games will feature 14 sports, including beach volleyball, beach handball, and teqball, with 62 gold medals up for grabs.
Hashtag: #AsianBeachGames #AsianBeachGames2026 #Sanya #Hainan #TorchRelay
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