The medals for the 15th National Games of China Photo: VCG

Preparations for the 15th National Games of China, the first to be hosted in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, have entered a decisive phase as several competitions will begin in September ahead of the official opening, while large-scale rehearsals for the opening ceremony are underway inside the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, an official from the Guangdong competition zone told Global Times on Tuesday.

Lin Benjian, a senior official with the Guangdong organizing committee, told the Global Times that in September, 15 competition events for the National Games will be held, and there will be a draw ceremony for the six basketball events. The upcoming contests include a shooting (skeet) test event, youth gymnastics competitions, women's taekwondo events, and the men's five-a-side basketball final in the mass sports category.

From September, more than 1,000 volunteer performers participating in the grand opening ceremony have shifted from outdoor training to on-site rehearsals inside the Guangdong Olympic ­Center. The program is structured into two major parts: cultural and athletic performances, and the ceremonial sections. 

Chief director Wu Xian noted that the creative design and rehearsal schedule for the core programs have been finalized. 

"The rehearsals will face some challenges involving large-scale coordination, technical integration, weather conditions, and safety," Wu said. 

Stage production is also moving forward steadily. Construction is now 70 percent complete, with stage design and installation reaching 80 percent. 

"The overlap of multiple tasks increases the complexity of our work," production director Wei Lai said. 

"But through careful time management and dynamic adjustments, we are moving ahead with stage, lighting and sound, special effects, and props to lay the groundwork for the joint rehearsals."

Operational support teams are also intensifying efforts. According to operations director Qu Caifen, a scientific command and scheduling system is being developed to optimize the deployment of personnel, vehicles, and resources. 

In another milestone, the official ticketing platforms for Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao events went live on August 31. According to earlier announcements, the Hong Kong competition zone will host eight events, including beach volleyball, men's handball, basketball, and golf. 

The Macao zone will stage five events: table tennis, three-on-three basketball, five-on-five basketball (men's under-18), women's volleyball, and karate, along with two badminton events for the National Paralympic Games and National Special Olympics. Hong Kong's first competition, a community bowling event, was successfully held on August 24.

As ticket sales commenced, citizens rushed to secure seats. One Guangzhou resident, surnamed Chen, numbered among the first official buyers after purchasing a modern pentathlon ticket at a designated sales point. Holding his ticket aloft, Chen expressed his feeling of excitement and honor. "I even dressed in red today - China red! I hope the Games in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao will be a great success, and that all athletes can shine in their performances," Chen said.

The 15th National Games will offer ticket sales for 32 major competition categories, covering crowd favorites such as table tennis, basketball, badminton, and diving. With the exception of surfing, sailing, and other smaller events due to venue limitations, nearly all competitions will be open to ticketed audiences. 

In addition to elite competitions, the Games will integrate community sports activities into the ticketing program. Events scheduled around the opening and closing ceremonies include dragon and lion dances, tennis, three-on-three basketball, karate, and multiple Paralympic and Special Olympic events such as boccia, badminton, and athletics.

More than 5 million tickets will be available, far surpassing previous games.