Beijing's first new venue delivered (photos attached)

Updated：2007-07-28

(BEIJING, July 28) -- The Shooting Center of the State General Administration of Sport was handed the gold key to the Beijing Shooting Range Hall by the venue's management group Saturday morning. The handing over of the key symbolized the official delivery of the Beijing Shooting Range Hall.

During the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the venue will host a total of 10 Shooting events. It will also likely be the venue of the first gold medal awarded at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Present at the delivery ceremony were officials from the State General Administration of Sport, the City of Beijing, and Mr. Wang Yifu, head coach of the Chinese national shooting team.

Construction of the venue broke ground on July 13, 2004. The venue, with a total surface area of 45,645 sq m, contains qualification competition halls, a final competition hall, a storehouse, a room for armed police use, a heating and ventilation equipment room, and an electric transformer room.

Scene of the press conference

The qualification competition hall contains 10m, 25m, and 50 m target ranges. The final competition hall contains sealed 10m, 25m, and 50m target ranges.

The venue has a total seating capacity for 8,600 spectators, with 2,170 permanent seats and 6,430 removable seats. The qualification competition halls can seat 6.100, and the final competition hall can seat 2,500.

The Beijing Shooting Range Hall was designed to reflect the shape of a hunting bow. This design takes into consideration the origins of the sport of shooting—hunting in the forest. The Shooting Hall's qualification competition halls and the final competition hall are connected by the venue's main entrance, which contributes to the venue's "bow" shape.

Post-Games, the venue will host important international and Chinese shooting competitions and serve as the training base for the Chinese national shooting team and youth training grounds.

Parts of the venue might be used as a national defense teaching facility. Additionally, the venue may be used to promote shooting as a sport to the public and to promote the Olympic spirit.

The Beijing Shooting Range Hall