The Macao SAR Government hosts a banquet at the Macao East Asian Games Dome to welcome the Rio Olympics Mainland Olympians Delegation.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the visit to Macao starting today (Monday), by some of the nation’s athletes from the Olympics Games Rio 2016, would ignite the city’s passion for sport and give a boost to the development of the local sporting sector. Speaking at the welcoming banquet for the visiting Rio Olympics Mainland Olympians Delegation, Mr Chui said the in-person exchanges – a feature of the Delegation’s four-day visit – between the athletes and locals would help the public better understand the athletes’ own stories, their struggles, and the will to win that lead to their success at the Olympic Games. The athletes’ stories would serve as positive examples for young people and would encourage them in incessant self-improvement, Mr Chui added. Mr Chui gave a warm welcome to the 64-member Rio Olympics Mainland Olympians Delegation, at a banquet hosted by the Government and held at the Macao East Asia Games Dome. The Delegation arrived in Macao in the afternoon, on a four-day visit, right after the visit in Hong Kong SAR. Macao had seen huge success in the development of competitive sports and sport for all: the support of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Olympic Committee had been essential in achieving this progress, said the Chief Executive. The Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Liu Peng, attended the welcoming banquet. He said in his speech that national athletes had achieved remarkable success at the Olympics. This success was attributable to the development of the country and the strong support from the Macao SAR. Mr Liu stated he looked forward to closer and deeper cooperation and exchanges in sport between the mainland and Macao. A total of 250 guests attended the welcoming banquet, including: the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Wang Zhimin; the Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr Ye Dabo; the Commander of the People's Liberation Army Macao Garrison, Major General Wang Wen; principal officials of the Macao Government; members of the Executive Council; members of the Legislative Assembly; Macao’s delegates respectively to the National People’s Congress and to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; members of the Sports Council and people from all walks of life. The Chief Executive presented a 14-million-pataca cheque – donated by non-governmental organisations and members of the community – to the Rio Olympics Mainland Olympians Delegation. Several representatives of the Delegation – namely volleyball athlete Ms Zhu Ting and track cyclist Ms Gong Jinjie – received the cheque. The Rio Olympics Mainland Olympians Delegation was – on arrival at the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal – greeted by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng, and the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Sun Da. A total of 235 students joined a welcoming ceremony – an event organised by the Government – and 15 students presented bouquets of flowers to members of the Delegation. During their stay in Macao, the athletes will take part in several events in order to share their stories of success and their experience of the Rio 2016 Olympics. It is a chance for the Macao public to meet the athletes face-to-face. Tomorrow morning (30 August), the athletes will meet young locals in order to share with them insights on preparatory training for the Olympics. In the evening, the Delegation will attend a variety show at the Macao East Asia Games Dome. On Wednesday (31 August), the athletes will divide into groups in order to visit a total of six local community centres and social services centres, and share their Olympic joy with local senior citizens and young people. On Wednesday afternoon, the athletes will take part in another experience-sharing session – this time with young Macao athletes and local students – at Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion. The session will include performances and skill demonstrations by the athletes, and interactive games between the guests and Macao’s young athletes and students. The Delegation will leave Macao on the morning of 1 September, bound for Beijing. The 64-member Delegation includes 45 elite athletes from the mainland; five coaches from different sport events; and officials from the General Administration of Sport of China.