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National Youth Games for Football, Basketball and Volleyball Photo: VCG

The First National Youth Games for Football, Basketball and Volleyball kicked off on Wednesday in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province, with the aim to nurture the next generation of elite athletes in China's three most popular team sports.

The event brings together a pool of 1,500 talented athletes from across 25 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, all under the age of 18. 

This platform plays a crucial role in refining China's talent identification and development systems, offering a high-level competition environment where the most promising young players in football, basketball and volleyball can be spotted and nurtured. 

By participating, these athletes have the chance to advance through various levels - from local clubs to provincial and even national teams - ensuring a steady pipeline of talent for China's top-tier sports programs.

In addition, the team-based structure organized by provincial and municipal sports bureaus strengthens collaboration and coordination among local authorities, providing a strong foundation for long-term talent development and ensuring that the country's sports talent pool remains robust and dynamic.

"Through this high-profile event, the hope is to spark greater interest in these sports and inspire more young people to take part," Zhang Bin, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times. 

At the Paris Olympics held in the summer of 2024, the Chinese delegation won 40 gold medals, the delegation's best-ever performance at a Summer Olympics held abroad. However, the performance in the three ball sports was far from satisfying.

The Chinese men's and women's national football teams, the men's national basketball and volleyball teams all failed to secure Olympic berths, while the women's basketball team was eliminated in the group stage and the highly anticipated women's volleyball team fell short of reaching the semifinals.

Historically, football, basketball and volleyball have played a key role in China's goal of becoming a sports powerhouse since the 1980s.

"The insufficient quantity, low quality of youth events, and a lack of a systematic approach in youth competitions were the main reasons for a slow-paced development in the three ball sports," Zhang said. 

"By establishing the games, it encourages all regions to attach great importance to youth training work in the three sports, strengthening efforts to support young athletes' development in these sports, which in the long run will bear fruit for the national teams," Zhang said.