Contestants participate in a ring race on Oct 29. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Double Ninth Festival, a day in China dedicated to honoring the elderly, falls on Oct 29 this year. To celebrate, Yongning county in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, is holding a sports meet until Oct 30 for the elderly and people with disabilities.

The sports meet attracted over 500 participants, making it the largest ever.

Sports events for the elderly include group events such as team bowling, team needle relay race, team hoop race, and team walking competition, as well as individual events such as chess and table tennis.

The elderly participants are lively and energetic, their laughter filling the air.

A man participates in a table tennis competition on Oct 29. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Competitions for people who have disabilities include team bowling, team ring racing, and team relay races of chopstick picking beans, as well as individual chess and table tennis competitions.

The sports meet gives them the chance to both exercise and socialize, and all participants will receive commemorative prizes.