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Sichuan Sports Infrastructure Hit, Athletes Relocating

Friday, 23rd May 2008 ~ Maggie ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

The 8.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Sichuan May 12 has seriously affected athletic facilities in Sichuan, says Xinhua. Wenchuan's new complex at Aba Normal Institute—including a gymnasium, a swimming pool and a stadium—have been destroyed. A 3,000-seat gymnasium in Jiangyou city has also been leveled. In the Chengdu area, the Zhang Shan Training Center and the Land Sports Training School have been designated "hazardous buildings."

Sichuan–based athletes on both Olympic and provincial teams are now being relocated to other parts of China. Track and field athletes will stay in Beijing after this weekend's Good Luck Beijing test event; gymnasts and wushu athletes will train in Guangxi; provincial wrestling, swimming, diving and women's soccer teams are headed to Shandong; some volleyball teams are headed to Yunnan. Shanghai and Guizhou will be the training sites for the synchronized swim team and Guizhou will take table tennis players.

While no specific reports have come in, it seems inevitable that many athletes have lost loved ones and/or seen major damage to their family homes.

Tags: Sichuan, Wenchuan earthquake

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