Hangzhou, China, August 10, 2021: The tide is rising on the famous Qiantang River running through the heart of Hangzhou as excitement builds for the 19th Asian Games from September 10-25, 2022.

The Asian Games Fun Run Series is playing a key role in promoting the event, spreading the Asian Games spirit far and wide with the one-year countdown ceremony fast approaching.

A special report by organising committee HAGOC sets the scene:

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were an extraordinary presentation of competitive sports. People from around the world came together and showed their passion, waving flags as they cheered for their respective countries. 

As the event progressed, the bond between nations strengthened and the spirit of peace and love was shared. This spirit will arrive in Hangzhou, across mountains and seas, next year and will once again tell its story on the banks of the Qiantang River. The arrival of the 19th Asian Games will signal that it is time for the world to experience Hangzhou charm and enjoy Hangzhou glamour.

The Fun Run is a time-honoured Asian Games tradition organised by the Olympic Council of Asia whose goal is to attract more publicity to the host city. The Fun Run for Hangzhou 2022 began in Shanghai on 31 May 2021. Held as part of a larger, far-reaching, cultural promotion event — the Asian Games 10 Cities Tour with GEELY — the Fun Run has already lit up Shanghai, Xi’an, Tianjin, Wuhan and other cities in China. 

The spirit of the Hangzhou 2022 is being passed on throughout the country through this event.

Women’s volleyball legend Zhao Ruirui and rifle shooting champion Zhu Qinan are among the Olympic athletes who have been invited to join the Fun Run to encourage others to show their passion by taking part in such Asian Games warm-up activities. 

A passion for sport is deeply intertwined with Hangzhou’s history and culture. Together, the city’s culture and Asian Games culture will ride the surging tide of the Qiantang River – famous for its spectacular tidal bore - to even greater heights.

Three years ago, at the closing ceremony of the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, Hangzhou took the baton as the next host city and the Games officially entered "Hangzhou Time". 

An invitation was sent out to the world: “Hangzhou Welcomes You!”. Three years later, we are now at a pivotal moment in our Games preparations with our goal of being essentially ready to host the Games, and ready for Games-time operations, drawing closer each day.

Due to COVID-19, the Fun Run for Hangzhou 2022 will be only held in major cities in China, as agreed to by the OCA. In this pivotal year, in the lead up to the Games, HAGOC’s aim is to build excitement for the upcoming Asian Games through the Fun Run, while promoting the Games from our base here in Zhejiang province, and spreading this excitement nationwide as well as across Asia and the world. 

At the same time, we hope to share the Olympic spirit, encourage greater community participation, and make progress towards achieving our shared vision of a fit and healthy China.

We are now nearing the very important one-year-countdown to Hangzhou 2022 and our preparations are guided by our dedication to delivering a Green, Smart, Economical and Ethical Games with athletes as the focus. To date, all of our key projects are seeing steady progress, and the Committee is working hard to ensure that, by the end of 2021, we will be ready to host the Games and ready for Games-time operations.