CuiChenxiofChinainactionduringthewomen'ssemifinalattheStreetSkateboardingWorldChampionships2023inTokyo,Japan,Dec.16,2023.(Xinhua/ZhangYiyi)SHANGHAI,May14(Xinhua)--ChinaisanincrediblyimportantpartofworldsportandShanghaihasanenvironmentconductivetohostinginternationalsportevents,saidInternationalOlympicCommittee(IOC)sportsdirectorKitMcConnell.McConnellmadetheremarksduringanonlinemediaroundtableonTuesdaypriortotheOlympicQualifierSeries(OQS)inShanghai,addingthattheChinesemetropoliswillbe"anoutstandinghost"overthecomingweekend."WhenwelookatChina,it'sanincrediblyimportantpartofworldsport,buildingonthehostingoftheOlympicWinterGamesin2022andanumberofeventsacrossnearlyallolympicsports,"saidMcConnell."Inacityofaround30millionpeoplewithahugeyoungpopulation,Ithinkit'sacelebrationofinternationalsportinacertainlyinternationalsporthostingenvironment.""ReachingouttoandengagingwiththeyoungaudiencesaroundtheworldhasbeenaveryclearpartoftheinnovationsrelatedtotheOlympicprogram,"McConnellnoted."Whatwe'vedoneisaddtothemoretraditionalsportsbybringinginsomeofthesereallyyouthfocusedsportsanddisciplinesthatwe'llseeinShanghaiandBudapest."RunningfromMay16to19,atotalof464athletes,evenlydividedbetweenmenandwomen,willcompeteinBMXfreestylecycling,breaking,skateboarding,andsportclimbingatthenewly-renovatedHuangpuRiversidevenue.LuoZhiluofChinainactionduringthewomen'sleadeventattheIFSCWorldCupWujiang2024inSuzhou,eastChina'sJiangsuProvince,April14,2024.(PhotobyWangXuzhong/Xinhua)AlongwiththesecondleginBudapestfromJune20to23,theinauguralOQSisthelastchanceforathletestovieforover150quotaplacesforthe2024ParisOlympicGames."Intermsoftheselectionofthefoursports,thecommunityatmosphere,theindividualexpression,themusic,theculturethatcomesalongwiththesefoursportsanddisciplinesfitwelltogether,"McConnellexplained."Withbreaking,itallowsustoputtogetherthequalificationsystemsinadifferentwaythanthesportsthathavebeenintheprogramforalongtimeandhavereallyestablishedinternationalcalendars,"headded.Ontopofthecompetitions,theShanghaiOQSwillincorporatevariousfan-engagementactivitiesthatarespecifictoeachofthefoursportsfeatured.Theseactivitiesareintendedtoenhancethespectatorexperienceattheevent,fosteringgreaterinteractionandenjoymentforattendees.AccordingtoPierreFratter-Bardy,OlympicGamesStrategyDevelopmentAssociateDirector,"averynewolympicexperienceforfans"canbeexpectedinShanghai,withdanceshow,fashionshowandabigconcertliningupduringtheOQS."Youcanspendthewholedaywithoneticket.Yougettoseeallsportsandyougettoexperiencethefestival.Sothisisreallysomethingabsolutelynewthatwe'vebeendesigningforthem,forfansattheforefront,"headded.■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.