The 2025 World Games scheduled for August in Chengdu City of southwest China's Sichuan Province celebrated a milestone on Saturday as its historic first torch relay was held ahead of the Games' 12th edition.
The day-long relay saw 120 torchbearers, including table tennis legend Ma Long, actor Jackie Chan and social media influencer Li Ziqi, carry the flame through six landmark sites across the cities of Chengdu, Deyang and Meishan.
The 11-kilometer relay route wove together symbols of ancient heritage and ecological urbanism, including stops at the Jinsha Site Museum and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
The inaugural flame was lit at the iconic Sanxingdui Museum using photovoltaic energy storage, a nod to the event's low-carbon commitment. The ignition rod's design incorporated a 4,500-year-old fingerprint from unearthed pottery, symbolizing continuity between ancient civilization and modern aspirations.
Named "Zhu Meng" - meaning "Bamboo Dream", the torch features green and silver elements. "Zhu" refers to bamboo, abundant in Sichuan and symbolic of nature, while the name also echoes the meaning of pursuing dreams.
Following the relay, the flame will be preserved and presented during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Games which will run from August 7 to 17. It marks the first time the quadrennial event will be held on the Chinese mainland.
Approximately 5,000 athletes from around 110 countries and regions are expected to compete across 34 sports and 60 disciplines during the Games.
According to the local organizing committee, no new permanent competition venues have been built for the event. Instead, Chengdu will utilize 18 existing and nine temporary venues aligning with a sustainability plan aimed at delivering a green and efficient international sporting showcase.
World Games ignites history with first-ever torch relay in China
