History met modern flair as table tennis legend Ma Long took center stage in a torch relay like no other! 🌍✨ On July 26, the Chengdu World Games kicked off its celebrations with torchbearers literally swinging imaginary paddles at Sichuan's Sanxingdui Museum – a 3,000-year-old archaeological wonder – before passing the flame to the two-time Olympic gold medalist.
The creative table tennis pantomime paid homage to China’s sporting culture, blending ancient artifacts with viral-worthy theatrics. 🎭 Ma Long, dubbed the 'Dragon' of Chinese table tennis, called it 'a bridge between our heritage and tomorrow’s champions.' Fans online are already comparing the relay to a 'real-life TikTok trend.' 📱💫
With the Games spotlighting emerging sports like breakdancing and esports, this playful start sets the tone for a youth-driven global festival. Next stop: Chengdu’s stadiums, where 10,000+ athletes from 100+ countries and regions will compete starting August 8!
