All State Journal

Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, the main site of the 2022 Asian Games, features a stunning butterfly-shaped venue which incorporates a natatorium and a gymnasium to host swimming, diving and basketball events. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Organizers of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games aim to host the most successful Asiad by making the best use of an extra year of preparations.

The 19th Asian Games, originally scheduled to be held from Sept 10 to 25 in 2022, was rescheduled to take place from Sept 23 to Oct 8, 2023 due to the pandemic, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced in October.

“In term of preparatory works, hardware facilities or software operations, we are quite ready,” said Mao Genhong, deputy secretary general of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC), on the sidelines of the ongoing fifth China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

“We have completed almost everything related to the Games, including the program setting, venue construction, team building and operational arrangements.”

Mao, who is also the vice secretary-general of the Hangzhou government, said the extra year to prepare for the Games has provided the organizers with the opportunity to enhance the quality of the event.

“Our goal is to host the most successful Asian Games in history,” he said.

The remaining months leading to the major sporting event will be spent on venue maintenance, testing events and enhancing the digital aspects of the Games.

“We will launch a series of landmark projects related to ‘intelligent’ games and welcome the event with our best form,” he noted.