Over 10,000 athletes from China’s 56 ethnic groups have gathered in sunny Sanya, Hainan, for the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities — a vibrant celebration of unity, culture, and seriously cool sports you won’t see at the Olympics! 🌴🔥
The Games, running November 22–30, opened with a torch relay featuring 107 torchbearers, including ethnic sports coach Tian Shifang, who called the event a ‘bridge for communication’ between communities. 🏃♂️💬
Forget soccer or swimming — here’s the tea: competitors will climb coconut trees (inspired by Hainan’s Li and Miao groups), swing sky-high in a female-only contest (shoutout to Korea’s ethnic traditions!), and showcase horseback skills from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 🥥✨ Equestrian events already wrapped up in northwest China, proving tradition travels far!
Launched in 1953, these Games blend ancient customs with modern energy. As Tian said: ‘The real win? Bringing people together.’ 🙌💥
