This is a multi-functional sports arena captured on September 1st at Hassan Sports City in Irbid, Jordan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter He Yiping
Amman, October 15 (Xinhua) — A small blessing brought by a sports city – visiting China’s first large-scale aid project to Jordan
Xinhua News Agency reporter He Yiping
A gentle breeze and swaying tree shadows. On an evening in October, at Hassan Sports City in Irbid, Jordan, Alia Diabat leisurely sat on a lounge chair next to the multipurpose sports arena. Her three daughters were playing in the inflatable castle nearby, and her youngest son was learning to walk unsteadily under the protection of her lover.
For Diabat, who is a mother of four children, this is a rare leisure moment. She and her family come to Hassan Sports City every week, which is “more spacious and cleaner” compared to the many parks in the area.
This is a diving pool captured on September 1st at Hassan Sports City in Irbid, Jordan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter He Yiping
The population of Irbid city is less than 600000, and Hassan Sports City is located at the southern end of the city. It was the first large-scale project assisted by China in Jordan and was completed in 1990. The Sports City is open to the public every morning at 5 o’clock and closes at 12 o’clock at night. Every evening, many citizens like Diabat come here to relax and unwind.
Idris Barni Issa, the director of the media department of Hassan Sports City, introduced that the sports city covers an area of over 100000 square meters and has a multi-functional sports arena, a football field, and a training hall. It not only provides training and competition venues for professional athletes, but also provides leisure and entertainment for citizens.
This is a football field filmed on August 31st at Hassan Sports City in Irbid, Jordan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter He Yiping
In the training hall, players from a local basketball club are training. The administrator of the training center, Yousuf Bani Hani, told reporters that the training center can be used as a training venue for ball sports such as handball, volleyball, basketball, etc., and is provided free of charge to professional clubs or associations for training purposes, as long as it is reserved in advance.
On August 31st, athletes trained in the training hall at Hassan Sports City in Irbid, Jordan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter He Yiping
On the west side of the training hall is the swimming pool, which has 2 swimming pools and a diving pool for hosting world-class competitions. At the gym next to the swimming pool, Taekwondo coach Ali Badur is preparing to teach the children. Badur said that when the Sports City was built, he had not yet been born, but he knew it was built in China. “When the Sports City was built back then, it was a very new thing for the locals,” he said.
This is a swimming pool captured on September 1st at Hassan Sports City in Irbid, Jordan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter He Yiping
Coming out of the gym, the magnolia lamps with Chinese characteristics have been lit up on the road, reflecting the happy scene of children’s joyful pursuit.