Olympic diving champion Luo Yutong and national badminton standout Lei Lanxi visited Guangzhou No. 17 Middle School to headline the opening ceremony of the institution's 51st sports festival, local sports reporting shows.
Guangzhou No. 17 Middle School Opens Its 51st Sports Festival
The sports festival opened under the theme “Five Decades of Tempering Blades, Champions Leading a New Chapter,” blending nearly a century of campus athletic tradition with elite sports mentoring. Student classes marked the occasion with creative entrance processions designed to reflect the school’s “Hongyi” motto and cultural roots, turning the traditional parade into a large-scale civic and moral education exercise focused on perseverance.
Champions Share Stories and Lead Sports Classes on Campus
During the visit, Luo Yutong—who won gold in the men’s simultaneous 3-meter springboard at the 2012 London Olympic Games alongside multiple World Aquatics Championships, diving World Cup, and Asian Games titles—spoke directly with students about his competitive career. He was joined by Lei Lanxi, a national badminton player who helped capture the Badminton Asia Team Championships in 2023 and 2024 while securing strong results at the 14th and 15th National Games.
The two athletes participated in an interactive question-and-answer session with student representatives and hosted a special “champion sports class” designed to introduce students to professional training concepts and cultivate active athletic habits. Following the classroom interaction, Luo and Lei left handprints and signatures on ceremonial plaques meant for permanent display at the school.
Donations and the Planting of the Champion Tree
Representatives from the Hong Kong Jockey Club delivered a batch of sports equipment to support the school's physical education programs, while school officials presented commemorative gifts and student-designed cultural creative works in return.
Remaining Questions on Future Campus Sports Programs
While the “Walking with Champions” initiative has established a routine schedule of visits across regional schools to boost youth athletics and public fitness, organizers have not yet released the complete calendar for subsequent school visits later in the academic year. Further announcements regarding participating athletes and host institutions for the next phase of the public welfare project remain unconfirmed.
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