The main cauldron was ignited at the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on Sunday evening by a trio of distinguished athletes from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.<br /><br />The flame that lit the cauldron was sourced from methane hydrate, or combustible ice, extracted from a depth of 1,522 meters in the South China Sea.<br /><br />Before the grand ignition, a ceremonial torch relay took place inside the stadium.<br /><br />The first to carry the torch flame were table tennis legend Ma Lin, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and 15-time world champion, and diving icon Chen Ruolin, who boasts five Olympic golds and 21 world titles.<br /><br />The flame was then passed to Hong Kong cycling champion Wong Kam Po -- a three-time gold medalist at both the National Games and the Asian Games, and a celebrated world champion -- and to Macao karate athlete Fong Man Hou, silver medalist in the Men's Team Kata at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.<br /><br />Next, diving great Guo Jingjing, a four-time Olympic champion and 31-time world title winner, joined tennis rising star Wang Xinyu, the mixed doubles silver medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, to carry the torch forward.<br /><br />The flame then passed to Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, the gold medal–winning duo in both the team and duet artistic swimming events at the Paris Olympics.<br /><br />Following them were badminton star Liang Weikeng, silver medalist in men's doubles at the 2024 Olympics and a three-time world title winner, and Lai Xuanzhi, an inspirational national ethical role model who has trained 52 world champions in rope skipping.<br /><br />The sixth leg honored judo pioneer Xian Dongmei, a two-time Olympic champion, and football legend Rong Zhixing.<br /><br />Finally, the honor of igniting the main cauldron fell to an emblematic trio from the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area: Su Bingtian, the Asian record holder in the men's 100m sprint from Guangdong; Cheung Ka Long, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in men's foil fencing from Hong Kong; and Li Yi, Macao's gold medalist in women's changquan at the 19th Asian Games.<br /><br />Together, they lit the flame against a backdrop of fireworks, drawing roaring cheers from the crowd. #NationalGames
