The organising committee of Haiyang 2012 Asian Beach Games held a press conference in the Main Press Centre (MPC) of Asian Games Town on Monday as the Guangzhou Asian Games are running in Guangzhou, and they briefed the media on the preparations for the upcoming sporting event in 2012 and presented the newly-unveiled Mascots, Haihai, Yangyang and Shasha.

The Asian Beach Games, together the Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Youth Games are regarded as the top five multi-sports events in Asia. The 3rd Asian Beach Games to be held in Haiyang, Shandong Province in June, 2012 will be a beach sports event of the largest scale and greatest influence in Aisa. It is the first time for China to host an edition of Asian Beach Games and it also will be the first time to have a multi-sports event of the highest-level in Asia in Shandong Province.

As introduced by Gao Jingtao, Vice Mayor of Haiyang, preparations for the 3rd Asian Beach Games, including promotional campaigns, marketing development and venue constructions, are well on track as scheduled; a total of 43 events in 11 sports will be contested; participating athletes, judges, sports officials and journalists are likely to total about 10,000. On December 16, Haiyang will take over the flag of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) at the Closing Ceremony of the Second Asian Beach Games held in Muscat, Oman.

The prototypes of Mascots for the Haiyang Asian Beach Games, representing seawater, sunshine and beach, are the Chinese dragon, sun and Chinese phoenix. It symbolises that Asia is a big family and also reflects the spirit of happy sports.

(GAOCA November 15, 2010)