Xi lauds junior athletes at Nanjing Games

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) talks with members of the Chinese Youth Olympic delegation in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province, August 15, 2014. Xi paid a visit to the Chinese Youth Olympic delegation at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Village (YOV) in Nanjing on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

As he visited athletes practicing a variety of sports on Friday, President Xi Jinping made sure to give a boost to China's sports culture and youths' physical fitness on the eve of the second summer Youth Olympic Games' opening ceremony.

Xi said he hoped Chinese athletes' performance at the games will encourage more young people to take up sports and physical exercise.

Xi made the remarks while visiting a training center at the Youth Olympic Village in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Dozens of Chinese athletes were practicing sports, including basketball, boxing, judo, wrestling and taekwondo at the center.

It was the second time Xi had visited a Chinese delegation before a major international sporting event this year. In February, the avid sports fan met more than 50 Chinese athletes and coaches before the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Russia.

On Saturday evening, Xi is expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games alongside UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and leaders from Burundi, Fiji, the Maldives, Montenegro, Singapore and Montenegro, among others.

Xi called on Chinese athletes to live up to the spirit of Olympic and Chinese sports, enjoy the games and learn from each other.

Xi said he was confident they would shine on the big stage, and that they are aware of the high honor and great responsibility that comes with participating in the Games.