Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground: A first look

(BEIJING, August 12) -- The Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground is now ready to host the 2007 FIVB Beach Volleyball Women's Challenger, from August 13-19, 2007.

Sunday morning, journalists covering the beach volleyball competitions arrived at the Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground for a first look at the venue. They arrived through the special media entrance and went through stringent security checks.

One security guard, a volunteer from the Chinese People's Public Security University, said it was his first day on the job after extensive training.

The volleyball ground media village was designed according to standards set by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

Practicing the concept of "Green Olympics," the beach volleyball event organizers had the previously existing workshops and industrial storerooms on the grounds converted into office space rather than having new offices built.

The volleyball ground contains 17,000 tons of fine sand imported from Hainan.

FIVB Supervisor Blair Harrison told reporters that he has been to all the well-known volleyball grounds around the world. Beijing's Chaoyang Beach Volleyball Ground, however, is very special. Blair commented that to hold the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Beach Volleyball events in a park in the heart of Beijing is very original and unique.