SPORTS> China
Heroes Tour wraps in Shenzhen
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-31 11:06

Olympic champion He Chong celebrated the final stop of the Li-Ning Heroes Van 2008 China Tour last weekend by presenting awards to sports fans in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen.

The tour was launched in Beijing's Chaoyang Park on March 22.

Since then, two converted trucks have shuttled across China spreading the Olympic spirit and generating publicity for Li-Ning, the Chinese sports apparel manufacturer and former gymnast who was seen running the entire circumference of the Bird's Nest Stadium on Aug 8 before lighting the Olympic torch.

The Li-Ning Heroes Vans spearhead the first large-scale public event launched by the man and brand this year. The tour has visited over 80 cities, traveled more than 40,000km and involved over 150,000 participants.

The two vans, which vaguely resemble the transformer Optimus Prime, are more like moving sports museums than automobiles. Each has almost 30 sq m of space given over to exhibitions on Olympic knowledge. This includes multimedia and traditional displays highlighting the personal stories of various Olympic champions.

The vans also provide fun and games, with one side of the vehicles literally unfolding into a temporary stage as the talking van invites sports fans to feel the 'Heroes Gathering' Olympic experience for themselves.

China Daily