Asian Beach Games Photo: VCG

The Chinese delegation for the 6th Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026 in South China's Hainan Province was unveiled in Beijing on Wednesday. A total of 171 Chinese athletes will participate in the Games, competing in 13 sports and 60 events, excluding beach kabaddi, marking the highest participation rate for China since it began taking part in the Games. 

The Sanya Games will take place from April 22 to 30. This will be the second time China has hosted the Asian Beach Games, following Haiyang in East China's Shandong Province in 2012.

The opening ceremony, themed around vitality, openness and joy and to be held at Sanya Asian Beach Games Park, will see a rare theatrical attempt seldom seen in past large-scale events, Fan Rongli, an official with the publicity ­department of the Sanya Games organizing committee, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The ceremony breaks away from the traditional "song-and-dance welcome" format to adopt a narrative style with comedic elements. The mascot "Yaya" will take on the role of the protagonist, using a lighthearted and humorous approach to weave together the folk cultures of Hainan's Li and Miao ethnic groups with the vibrant energy of modern Sanya, Fan noted. 

"We hope that from the very first second, the audience can recognize that this is Hainan, this is Sanya: rich in heritage yet full of a lively spirit. This 'lightweight, narrative-driven' approach serves as a vivid expression of the opening ceremony's theme," said Li Yang, one of the directors of the opening ceremony.

At the Asian Beach Games Park, the most striking sight is Sanya Bay stretching out behind the stage, with the iconic Tianya Haijiao rock formations rising in the distance. 

"Our greatest stage design," another director Huang Peiling noted, "is in fact Sanya's own natural landscape."

Through a blend of digital imagery and the tangible elements of sand and waves, the audience's gaze is no longer confined to a traditional stage, but instead is immersed in Sanya's sea and sky, the organizers said. 

About 1,800 athletes from 45 countries and regions will take part in the Games, marking a record participation in the event's history. The Games will feature 14 sports and 62 events, including 3x3 basketball, beach athletics, beach wrestling, beach soccer, beach handball, Jiu-Jitsu, sailing, and beach volleyball.

Among the athletes representing China, Paris Olympic sport climbing silver medalists Wu Peng and Deng Lijuan will lead the team in the climbing events in Sanya. 

Basketball player Wang Lili, a bronze medalist in 3x3 basketball at the Tokyo Olympic Games, will compete in the 3x3 event. In popular beach sports such as beach volleyball, beach soccer, and beach athletics, China has also fielded strong lineups of athletes.

The tickets are selling well on multiple platforms with prices ranging from 30 ($4.40) to 200 yuan. 

Beach volleyball, known for its intense competition and high spectator appeal, saw tickets sell quickly even during the preliminary rounds. Meanwhile, 3x3 basketball, the only indoor event, has gained strong popularity among younger audiences for its fast pace and interactive atmosphere, according to the organizers. 

The Games will also be the first major international sporting event since the Hainan Free Trade Port launched island-wide special customs operations in December.