The "Mountains, Sea, and Dalian in Motion: Fitness for the Future" 2026 Dalian National Fitness Day themed event and the 2026 Dalian National Fitness Gala Exhibition kicked off with great energy yesterday morning on the newly upgraded Zhongshan District Qingniwa Commercial Street. This event was hosted by the Municipal Sports Bureau. The renovated Qingniwa Commercial Street now cleverly integrates basketball courts, soccer fields, and rubber running tracks, making the concept of "practice right downstairs, compete while shopping" a reality. This innovative approach marks a solid step forward for the city in transforming sports facilities from a focus on "availability" to "quality."

During the opening ceremony, a representative from the Municipal Sports Bureau stated that Dalian, as a "city of sports," has always been at the forefront of national fitness initiatives. The slogan "Mountains, Sea, and Dalian in Motion: Fitness for the Future" is not only a vivid interpretation of the city's spirit but also a firm commitment to a healthy future.

Following the opening ceremony, the National Fitness Gala Exhibition featured a diverse lineup of performances, with over 20 teams taking the stage. The show included a wide range of activities such as tech sports, traditional martial arts, and modern fitness routines. Programs like softball, Tai Chi, street dance, fitness yangko, fancy rope skipping, sport stacking, Taekwondo, children's boxing, fitness yoga, cheerleading, intangible cultural heritage boxing, Karate, and square dancing were showcased, highlighting the deep foundation and vibrant energy of Dalian's national fitness movement.

While the main venue was buzzing with activity, sub-venues were equally impressive. Districts including Shahekou, Ganjingzi, High-tech Zone, and Jinpu New Area simultaneously held their own exhibitions and mass competitions, creating a city-wide, urban-rural atmosphere of participation. Notably, on August 8, 26 public sports venues across the city, including the Dalian Citizen Fitness Center, Xigang Stadium, and Dalian City Rowing Center, were open to the public for free. The offerings covered popular sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, and tennis, as well as swimming and rowing, to meet the diverse fitness needs of citizens.

Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Dalian's national fitness efforts have yielded impressive results. The proportion of residents who regularly participate in physical exercise has reached 52%, and the per capita sports venue area has increased to 3.28 square meters, a growth of 18.4%. The total number of sports venues has risen by 27.4% to 14,186. The city has 4.5 public welfare social sports instructors per 1,000 people, far exceeding the national average. The physical fitness pass rate for urban and rural residents stands at 93.2%. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the city will continue to deepen the national fitness strategy, with a target of having over 53% of the population regularly participating in physical exercise by 2030 and achieving a per capita sports venue area of more than 4 square meters.