New venues complete for 19th Asian Games as Hangzhou announces 'zero-waste’ event

The organising committee of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 (HAGOC) has advised that the completed Gongshu Canal Asian Games Sports Park has passed its acceptance criteria for hosting events.

The acceptance mark the official completion of the new precinct, which comprises the field hockey stadium and a gymnasium to host the table tennis competition and break dancing (breaking).

One of 55 competition venues to host the 40 sports, 61 disciplines and 482 events of the 19th Asian Games, the Gongshu Canal Asian Games Sports Park is located 26 kilometres from the Asian Games Village and has a land area of 46 hectares and a gross floor area of 162,000 metre².

The hockey stadium has a floor area of 8,697 metre² and a seating capacity of 5,000, while the gymnasium has a floor area of 21,500 metre² and a capacity of 6,500 seats.

'Zero-Waste Asian Games' 
Officials from the Hangzhou municipality have also announced plans to make Hangzhou a ‘Zero Waste City’ as of next year, transitioning, specifically for the 19th Asian Games, to producing zero waste at the city level.

With the advantages of digitalization and e-administration, Hangzhou is looking to lead the way in substantially decreasing waste generation while increase separate collection and recycling.

With a ‘Zero-Waste Asian Games’ at the centre of the narrative, Lai Yong, Chief Official of Solid Wastes and Chemicals Department in Hangzhou Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, explained "'Zero-Waste Asian Games' is a program to implement best practices of zero waste into the 19th Asian Games, to achieve the conservation of all resources through responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery, with no discharges that threaten the environment or human health

"The implementation of the 'Zero-Waste Asian Games' is like a window to showcase the city's capability on waste and resource management, from which we hope every tourist and Asian Games participant can feel the charm of Hangzhou's ecological system."

Oceania to compete 
In another Games development, more than 300 athletes from Oceania countries have been given the chance to compete at next year’s event.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced the unprecedented move at its 40th general assembly in the United Arab Emirates last month.

OCA’s Director General Husain Al Musallam said athletes from Oceania who finish in the top three of an event will receive “honorary medals” that will not be counted in the final medal tallies.

The 19th Asian Games will run from 10th to 22nd September next year in Hangzhou and five co-host cities within Zhejiang province. China has hosted the Games twice before - in Guangzhou in 2010 and Beijing in 1990.

Breaking will be making its Asian Games debut ahead of its first appearance in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.

Images: Hangzhou Asian Games venue the Gongshu Canal Sports Park. Credit: @19thAGHZ2022.