Zhu Yuanjian may not be satisfied with his performance at the vertical bench press, but he does feel proud of his son, who is currently ranked first in three of the challenge events at the National Fitness Carnival. The carnival is being held at the National Olympic Sports Center (NOSC) in Beijing.

Zhu yuanjian is not very satisfied with his performance at vertical bench press. [China.org.cn]

"My score is 46 repetitions a minute, not so good," gasped Mr. Zhu, sweating. The leading score is 122 a minute. The father and son originally came to the sports center to play soccer, but they found something more attractive – the three-day National Fitness Carnival, just as it was being unveiled.

Initiated by the State General Administration of Sports, the Carnival goes from August 7 to August 9, 2009, to mark the first National Fitness Day, which will now fall on August 8 every year, the anniversary of the opening of the Beijing Olympics.

A heavy rain on early Friday morning didn't dampen Chinese people's enthusiasm for sports and fitness. Hundreds of people, some of them passers-by like Zhu and his son, attended the opening ceremony and then took part in the fitness activities and competitions afterwards.

The carnival involves 32 events and activities, including fitness lectures, table tennis and soccer competitions, and even roller skating shows, according to Ma Jingxuan, director of NOSC. "We try to involve everyone in the event. For sports fans, they may take part in scores of competitions. For those who aren't huge sports fans, they can attend fitness lectures and watch various performances, such as Qigong and Wushu shows," said Ma.

Ma Jingxuan, Director of National Olympic Sports Center (NOSC)

"People can try out the latest fitness machines, undergo health checks at two health examination buses, and seek guidance from sports scientists," Ma added.

"We make sure everyone will enjoy an Olympic environment here, with beautiful Olympic venues and high-standard services."

In addition to popular sports in China like soccer, basketball and table tennis, the Carnival also presents some "fresh" activities for the public. Soccer-in-the-cage is one of those.

The game features three players on each team inside a huge iron cage, and follows most of the rules for a regular soccer game.

"Soccer fans, especially the children, can practice their passing skills inside," said Xie Feng, manager of a sports industry company who invented the game. The cage is easy to set up and move into communities and schools to encourage more people to become involved in sporting events.

The seven stadiums and gymnasiums of NOSC will be open free to the public during the carnival. Citizens can get free admission tickets at the gates of NOSC, according to Ma, who also promised the carnival will be held every year to echo the national fitness campaign.

Boys playing soccer-in-the-cage [China.org.cn]