On the afternoon of 28 July, the closing ceremony of the 15th Sichuan Provincial Games (hereinafter referred to as the "Provincial Games"), sponsored by Sichuan Bank, was held at the Neijiang City Sports Centre.

Scene from the Closing Ceremony [Photo by Lunxi Yang]

The atmosphere at the Neijiang Sports Centre was electric that afternoon. The opening performance "Dragons Soaring over Tianfu", instantly set the stage alight: three giant dragons leapt majestically, each representing one of the three co-host cities; six majestic lions danced exuberantly, whilst twenty-one large flags fluttered in the breeze.

Scene from the Closing Ceremony [Photo by Lunxi Yang]

At around 15:00, the closing ceremony officially began. As the words announcing the close of the Games faded away, dazzling electronic fireworks burst into the sky, and the venue erupted in thunderous applause as the flags of the Sichuan Provincial Games and the 15th Provincial Games were slowly lowered. During this edition of the Provincial Games, a total of 60 athletes broke 23 tournament records on 50 occasions. Young athletes such as Ma Ziyun from Nanchong and Fan Xuecheng from Chengdu have made a significant mark in the history of Sichuan sport.

Handover Ceremony [Photo by Lunxi Yang]

As the big screen cut to the Guangan Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, the Provincial Games torch slowly went out, and the entire stadium's attention turned to the on-site flag-handover ceremony. In full view of the crowd, the mayors of Guangan, Yibin and Neijiang passed the flag from one to the next, before returning it to officials from the Sichuan Provincial Government, thereby formally handing it over to Nanchong, the host city of the 16th Provincial Games in 2030.

This city, renowned for its "sweetness", has left an unforgettable "Neijiang memory" on the Provincial Games through its warm hospitality and attentive service, ensuring that this sweetness continues to linger in the lands of Bashu.