About 160 athletes competed in track and field events as part of the 2006 Special Olympics Shanghai Invitational Games on Monday.

Monday's preliminary events took place in a lively and relaxed atmosphere, as the athletes enjoyed the feel of participation more than struggling for gold medals.

Wang Zilong, an 18-year-old athlete from Shanghai's Changning District, managed to fight into today's finals of all the three items he took part in, including the high jump, men's 100-meter dash and 4X100 meters relay race.

Wang said he participated in sports at school many times, and the Invitational Games brought him the same joy.

"Everybody feels happy here and we are not worried at the result of the competition," said Wang. "We spend more time making friends than preparing for the competition."

Mark Capano, head of the US delegation, said the Invitational Games give intellectually disabled athletes special experiences.

"My athletes enjoy and cherish the experience of making friends, of cheering each other up," said Capano.

About 1,000 spectators watched yesterday's track and field preliminaries at stadiums around the city. Despite the amateur-level competition, spectators gave athletes cheers and applause.

"Although the competition was not as exciting as the professional ones, I was still attracted," said a neighborhood committee employee surnamed Zhang. "Every athlete was so hard-working and I can strongly feel their desire to show their abilities."

Outside the stadiums, the games' logistic service provided the athletes with a safe and comfortable life in the city.

The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration has established a food security headquarters to ensure the safety of all delegations attending the games.

More than 300 employees and volunteers from the headquarters stayed in 11 stadiums, 30 hotels, 12 neighborhood communities and 11 other sites to monitor food and cooking around the clock.

"We are monitoring the hotels' catering and accommodation, tea breaks between matches, banquets for the delegations and dinners hosted by neighborhood communities," said Xie Minqiang, vice director of the administration.
 
(Shanghai Daily October 17, 2006)