2019 Military World Games athletes' village officially opens

WUHAN - The athletes' village for the 2019 Wuhan Military World Games officially opened here Friday, followed by a flag-raising ceremony by the Chinese delegation in the newly-built compound, the first-ever in the 24-year history of the Games.

"We hope to make athletes feel at home during their stay in the village," said village spokesperson Xiao Zhiyong.

He said the village will provide 1,958 suites for roughly 10,000 athletes, coaches and officials from more than 100 countries during the Games, which will run from 18th to 27th of October in central China's Wuhan city.

The village consists of four sections - a residence area, a public area, a logistics area and an operational one. A wide range of service facilities, such as medical centers, fitness clubs, banks, convenience stores, and souvenir shops, can be found in the village.

According to Xiao, the village, designed in the traditional Chinese style, is built with environmentally friendly materials, which are widely used in the wall coating, illumination systems, and the rainwater processing systems.

Moreover, the village is equipped with free WIFI, smart power systems, and an entrance guard system based on face identification.

A flag-raising ceremony was held for the Chinese delegation. "I looked around the beautiful village and got a very good impression," said Li Xuerui, from the Bayi badminton team, "and I aim for a gold medal for my country."

The 2019 Military World Games, organized by the International Military Sports Council, includes 329 events in 27 sports including naval pentathlon, aeronautical pentathlon, shooting, swimming, and basketball.