• The torch relay for the 15th National Games took place on 2 November.
• Macau dispatched 50 torchbearers from different sectors of society, covering a route of approximately 2.6 kilometers.

The torch for the 15th National Games was lit simultaneously in Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou and Shenzhen on the morning of 2 November, heralding the imminent sporting extravaganza and highlighting the collaborative progress of the three locations.

The torch relay for the Macau leg, themed “Cultural Inclusion”, covered approximately 2.6 kilometers. It commenced at 9:30am with a starting ceremony at the Government Headquarters. Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai passed the flame to the first torchbearer, Li Yi – gold medalist in wushu at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games – to formally commence the relay. Subsequently, 50 torchbearers representing various sectors of society took turns running through landmarks including Largo do Senado and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, with residents and tourists lining the route to cheer enthusiastically.

The final leg was carried by karate champion Kuok Kin Hang, who secured Macau’s inaugural medal at the 14th National Games in 2021 and added two silver medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games. He transported the flame to the Ruins of St. Paul’s, where it ignited the cauldron, symbolizing the relay’s successful conclusion.

Subsequently, the flame escorts retrieved the flame into the flame lamp, preparing to transport it to Guangzhou for the fusion ceremony where it will ultimately be combined with other flames to form the new flame for the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games.

Sam Hou Fai remarked, “As the flame was carried through the streets of Macau, passing among the 50 torch bearers, each step showcased the city’s spirit of progress and its unique cityscape, while each handover of the flame embodied the sporting spirit of unity and perseverance.”

The torch relay route through Macau’s competition zone traversed multiple locations of cultural significance within the UNESCO World Heritage site that is the city center, embodying the city’s fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and showcasing its spirit of multicultural convergence. Simultaneously, the relay engaged broader public participation, fostering a heightened sense of belonging and pride in this sporting spectacle.