Design sketches for the 12th World Games medals Photo: VCG

Ne Zha, the globally beloved hero from the eponymous hit Chinese animated film series, joined forces with Chengdu 2025 World Games mascots Shu Bao the panda and Jin Zai the golden snub-nosed monkey for a dynamic debut in the official animated promo film for the Chengdu Games on the International Olympic Day.

The promo takes the audience on a journey through Chengdu's rich cultural heritage and spirit of innovation, inviting people from across the world to experience the cultural richness and creative spirit of Chengdu, while exploring the diverse events and inspiring energy of the Chengdu Games scheduled from August 7 to 17 in the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province. 

In the promo, Ne Zha's voice actress, Lü Yanting, raps while dancing. She shared with the Global Times that she hopes to express the spirit of resilience, courage, and fearlessness through her voice, capturing the passion of Chengdu and igniting the excitement for the Chengdu World Games.

In less than 45 days until the opening ceremony, the design of the medals for the 12th World Games was unveiled recently. A total of 24 test events across 20 major sports have been completed. The daily competition schedule for all events of the 12th World Games has now been finalized, the organizers told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The baseball and softball competition venue has recently been completed. All the 27 competition venues (sites) will be ready by the end of June.

The first torch relay in the history of the World Games will be held in Sichuan on July 26. The flame collection and launch ceremony will be held at the Sanxingdui Museum.

This is the first time that the World Games will be held in the Chinese mainland, and it marks the second time that a major international multi-sport event will take place in west China, following the Chengdu Universiade in 2023.

The Games, with the official slogan "Boundless Sports, Countless Wonders," will feature 34 sports and 60 disciplines with 255 medal events. Among the events, sport climbing, flag football, softball, lacrosse, and squash have been officially included in the program of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, according to the organizers. 

Wu Fulai, chief medal designer of the 12th World Games

 
Unconventional design

The medal for the Games is named "Zhuguang," which literally translates to "bamboo light," and also sounds like "chasing the light" in Chinese. The medal is designed to pay tribute to athletes' pursuit of sporting excellence and promote the idea of sharing.

Zhang Qinghua, a member of the Chengdu World Games medal design team, told the Global Times that they aimed to create a medal design that stands apart from those of past events from the very beginning. 

"The two core ideas behind the design are 'sharing' and 'bringing friendship home.'  The medal resembles an exquisite pocket watch. When opened, it reveals a blooming hibiscus, the city flower of Chengdu, at its center." said Zhang.

"Embedded within the flower is a detachable badge engraved with the image of Jin Zai, the golden snub-nosed monkey, which is a symbolic figure in Sichuan," added Zhang.

Athletes can remove this badge from the medal and gift it to someone special. This design not only allows the joy of victory to be shared, but also serves as a heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes who have supported them every step of the way, Zhang noted. 

Wu Fulai, chief medal designer of the Games, told the Global Times that they sought to break away from the conventional circular shape typical of medals at multi-sport events. 

"Instead, we designed the medal in the form of "Shu Bao," the giant panda mascot. The panda's ears incorporate the motif of the Golden Sun Birds pattern from the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, which is an ancient Chinese symbol. The center of the medal showcases the outline of the city. This design highlights the brilliance of Chinese civilization and ancient Bashu culture, while symbolizes the enduring radiance of the sporting spirit," said Wu. 

The High-tech Zone Sports Center in Chengdu, which serves as a venue for the 12th World Games

 
For the public

As the highest-level international multi-sport event for non-Olympic sports, the Games will introduce Chinese spectators to a range of uncommon sports such as fistball, boules, and korfball, many of which are just making their debut on the local scene.

To promote the concept of "World Games for all," a series of World Games workshop activities have been introduced in communities and schools. Through interactive and fun activities, local residents are gaining a deeper understanding of World Games sports, according to the organizers.

Some of the World Games sports have also been integrated into local school physical education curriculums, with events like flying disc, cheerleading, and flag football now included in the PE curriculum of primary and secondary schools in Chengdu.

During a boules workshop activity held at the Chengdu University for the Elderly in June, 65-year-old Ren Zhongmei said, "This is my first time trying boules, and it's really fun. It may look simple, but it actually requires a lot of skill and strategy." She added that she plans to introduce the sport to her classmates at the university, encouraging more people to get involved.

Liu Feifei, the workshop coach, said that boules is particularly well-suited for seniors. It promotes physical activity, involves strategic competition, and is very safe to play. "I hope that through the Chengdu World Games, more people will be introduced to this sport."

As of now, over 100 towns and subdistricts across the 23 districts and counties in Chengdu have hosted World Games experience events, with nearly 500 communities participating. Activities have included experiences in sports such as flying disc, tug of war, boules, and wushu.