Over 10,000 athletes from more than 100 International Military Sports Council member states will take part in the Games. The Chinese delegation, the largest sports group at the Games, includes a record of 553 athletes selected from the Chinese military who will participate in all the events except golf.

Twenty-seven sports (including two demonstration events) will be contested at 35 venues across the city-the largest number of events in the Games' history, with badminton, table tennis, tennis and men's gymnastics all making their debuts this year.

Organizers have said the Games will be "green", so only a small number of the venues are new, with most being renovated or temporary facilities. All construction was completed in just 27 months, with many of the venues located at local universities, where the public will have use of the facilities to ensure the Games' legacy.

Xinhua contributed to this story.