World Games 2025 closes in Chengdu

The 2025 World Games concluded on Sunday with a grand closing ceremony in southwest China's Chengdu City.

The closing ceremony was held at the International Friendship Pavilion of the Chengdu International Horticultural Exposition Park.

Lasting an hour, the ceremony included the athletes' entrance, the flag handover, and a mix of cultural and sports performances, designed to blend international vision, Chinese style with Sichuan's local characteristics.

A total of 6,679 athletes, sports team officials and technicians from 116 countries and regions participated in the Chengdu World Games, setting a new record in terms of participation.

China's 321 athletes competed in 152 events across 28 sports at the Games, capturing 36 gold, 17 silver and 11 bronze medals. The tally marks the country's best record since it began participating in the World Games.

Launched in 1981 and staged every four years, the World Games is the highest-level international multi-sport event outside the Olympic Games, featuring sports and disciplines that are not on the Olympic program. This year's event ran from Aug 7 to 17.

The death toll in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip has risen to 71,441 since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on Oct 7, 2023, with the number of injuries reaching 171,329, said Gaza's health authorities on Thursday.

In the past 24 hours, hospitals in Gaza received two bodies, according to the health authorities.

Since the ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct 11, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed 451 people and wounded 1,251 others in the Gaza Strip.