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Guangzhou venues gear up for Asiad

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The 16th Asian Games soccer events have kicked off while some other competition venues are busy with final decoration to prepare for the Games' formal opening here on Friday.

The squash court, situated in the "Aisad City", has just finished covering the glass walls with special film.

"We could have finished filming earlier, but the floor was repainted, which delayed our job a bit," said Zhang Ping, manager of a Beijing sports facilities company.

"But it's OK now. There are still plenty of time. It will be one hundred percent ready before the squash events kick off," he added.

The film covering the court's front and side walls will only block the players' vision from the inside, helping them concentrate on competition, but still allow the spectators watch the game from all around.

The squash events will start next Thursday, 10 days away. The Chinese team are already training on the warmup courts.

On the adjacent snooker, billiards and pool venue, more than ten tables have been set up and some workers are changing the baize covering slates.

"The baize was used for testing and they have to be replaced for the competition. It's an easy job and will be soon finished," said Zhang Ting, who works in the logistics group.

With only five days to go, the cue sport events will attract throngs of home fans to cheer for host potters Ding Junhui and Pan Xiaoting. Ding, dubbed as "Chinese prodigy", will aim at snooker singles and team titles while 2007 world champion Pan is expected to collect golds on women's pool.

The Asiad city, including MPC, IBC, some venues, athletes, officials and media villages, is shielded under tight security as reporters will have their accreditation cards, knapsacks and laptops checked at each entrance.

The biggest-ever Guangzhou Games boasts most sports and athletes in the Aisad history.