Chongqing—The 3rd Belt and Road Invitational Athletics Meeting, the third leg of the 2025 National Athletics Grand Prix, will occur from May 14 to 16 at the Changshou District Sports Center in Southwest China's Chongqing. 

This year's event has grown significantly in scale and influence. More than 1,200 athletes and officials are expected to participate, including over 75 international athletes from 24 countries such as Jamaica, Algeria, South Africa, Belgium, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Thailand, as well as from China's Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR. International teams now account for more than 20 percent of total participants.

The second Belt and Road Invitational Athletics Meeting and the 2024 National Athletics Grand Prix. (Photo/The event organizer)

Zhang Zhouyong, Deputy Director-General of the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Sports, announced that the Belt and Road Invitational Athletics Meeting—recognized as one of China's highest-level athletics events—has officially been upgraded from a World Athletics bronze label to silver label status.

To match this elevated standard, the event venue has undergone major renovations to meet World Athletics specifications. Upgrades include a new natural turf infield, enhanced water jump areas, hammer throw zones, pole vault facilities, and more than 20 sets of advanced equipment, such as electronic and video-based distance measuring systems and wind speed meters, ensuring a world-class competitive environment for all athletes.

The competition will feature an impressive roster of domestic and international stars. Chinese athletes include men's 100m rising star He Jinxian; Hangzhou Asian Games 4×100m relay gold medalist Chen Jiapeng; Jakarta Asian Games 110m hurdles champion Xie Wenjun and high jump veterans Wang Yu and Zhang Guowei. 

On the women's side, 4×100m Asian Games gold medalists Ge Manqi, Liang Xiaojing, Wei Yongli, and Yuan Qiqi will be joined by popular 100m hurdler Xia Sining.

Xia Sining at the second Belt and Road Invitational Athletics Meeting. (Photo/The event organizer)

The competition will adopt a dual-event format, combining the Belt and Road Invitational and the National Grand Prix. The total number of events has increased from 30 to 43, including 21 men's events, 21 women's events, and one mixed-gender relay.

Sprint events such as the men's and women's 100m, 200m, 4×100m relays, and mixed 4×400m relay are expected to be the main highlights, promising thrilling "battle of the speedsters" moments.

The event is open to the public, with local youth and athletics fans able to enter for free with ID verification. The competitions will be livestreamed across online platforms and short video networks for broader outreach, enabling audiences everywhere to enjoy the action in real time.

The opening ceremony will celebrate the unique charm of Bayu culture and local Changshou heritage, with performances such as Sichuan Opera and folk programs.

The Chinese Athletics Association initiated the Belt and Road Invitational Athletics Meeting with approval from the General Administration of Sport of China. Co-hosted by the Chinese Athletics Association and the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Sports, it is one of the country's highest-level track and field competitions. The event aims to promote the development of athletics while fostering friendship and exchange among Belt and Road partner countries.

Since its launch in 2019 in Chongqing, the invitational has been successfully held in districts including Fuling and Jiulongpo, further strengthening Chongqing's role as a hub for international sports cooperation.