The 6th National Desert Fitness Games commenced  in Shapotou district, Zhongwei, Ningxia, on July 6.

The event brought together 1,190 athletes from across the country, featuring a diverse array of competitions, including seven team sports — desert soccer, desert volleyball, desert shuttlecock kicking, desert tug-of-war, desert woodball, desert sandboat pulling, and selenium-rich melon planting and harvesting competitions.

There were also six individual competitions — desert sand sliding, desert obstacle races, sand dune climbing, a six-kilometer desert crossing, desert foot wrestling, and desert orienteering. For families, three special activities were offered — family sand sliding, family desert obstacle races, and a family desert treasure hunt.

The event also featured a series of experiential activities, including intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, agricultural product markets, boutique tours, stargazing lectures, concerts, desert festivals, nighttime food markets, desert bonfires, fireworks displays, and fantasy tours.

Recognized as a national sports tourism demonstration base, Zhongwei provides a unique opportunity for the public to engage with and appreciate desert sports. This event not only showcases the distinctive charm of desert sports but also serves as a grand celebration of sports and cultural exchange, noted a local official.