Photo: Xinhua

The flag presentation ceremony for the Macao sports delegation participating in China's 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, along with the pledge-taking ceremony for Macao volunteers, was held on Saturday. Preparations for the Macao competition zone have now entered their final stage, with all venues scheduled for handovers within the coming week, after which the installation of competition facilities will begin.

For the first time, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is jointly hosting China's highest-level and largest national multi-sport event. The organizers are following the principles of green, shared, open, and clean Games, while aiming for an event that is simple, safe, and splendid.

At the ceremony, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region Sam Hou Fai noted that the Games are not only a grand stage for athletes, but also a celebration for all volunteers, whose dedication deserves the highest recognition and applause. "You are the best ambassadors of Macao at this event and an indispensable part of its success," he said.

Over 45,000 volunteers have been recruited from universities across South China's Guangdong Province to serve at the National Games. All of them are currently undergoing various types of training. The Hong Kong competition zone has appointed more than 16,000 volunteers, who are preparing to serve the Games with full enthusiasm, while Macao has mobilized over 1,500 volunteers and launched volunteer service campaigns at border checkpoints during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, according to the People's Daily.

"The volunteer training in the Guangdong competition zone is highly systematic, covering everything from etiquette and emergency response to detailed knowledge about the competitions," Cao Fang, a volunteer from Guangdong University of Technology serving at the National Games' U16 women's football event, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Before every shift, volunteer teams conduct simulation drills to make sure we can respond quickly and effectively to any unexpected situations on site," she said.

Cao will also participate in volunteer work during the main phase of the Games starting in November. "Our training now focuses on coordinating across sites, managing logistics efficiently, and ensuring safety and smooth operations under high-pressure conditions," she said.

In addition to well-prepared volunteer work, the competitive events of the Games are gradually getting underway. As October begins, the first batch of competitions, including the men's under-18 football tournament, BMX freestyle, and gymnastics (trampoline), has already started, while most other events are scheduled to officially commence after the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games on November 9.

On Sunday, the shooting (rifle and pistol) competitions of the 15th National Games officially kicked off in Guangzhou, with 388 athletes from 34 teams nationwide taking part. Olympic champions including Sheng Lihao, Huang Yuting, Xie Yu, and Liu Yukun are among the star competitors gathering in Guangzhou. 

Beyond the competitions themselves, the command center for the 15th National Games integrates data from 105 venues across 19 cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, enabling real-time monitoring of weather, traffic, and medical services. With a single screen, organizers can view the overall progress of the Games and dynamically allocate personnel, vehicles, and supplies.

Advanced technologies are also being widely applied to ensure smooth operations. 

These include intelligent wheelchair controllers capable of autonomous navigation and stair climbing, AI-powered guidance glasses with an error margin of less than 0.1 percent, as well as unmanned rescue boats and self-driving vehicles supporting various aspects of the event, according to the People's Daily.