CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The 19th Asian Games has opened in Hangzhou. In addition to high-profile athletes, there are also many professional and fair referees in the games, including nearly 40 referees from Chongqing. What kinds of people can referee in the Hangzhou Asian Games? How do they feel at the game? To find the answers, we’ve interviewed lots of referees in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Cricket referee Zhang Peng: the less popular sports events are worthy of interest; I will bring more work experience back to Chongqing

Zhang Peng, a member of the Chongqing Cricket Association, participated in the Asian Games on behalf of the Chinese men's cricket team in 2010 and 2014. After retiring, Zhang became a P.E. teacher in Chongqing Nan’an Qinglonglu Primary School and coached the cricket team of the school. Now he returned to the Asian Games as a domestic technical official for the cricket event.

After officiating for the women's cricket semi-final, Zhang Peng said in an interview, “Compared to a passionate athlete years ago, I’m a learner to officiate for the games today.”

Cricket is not popular in China, and no Chinese teams participated in the cricket competition at the Asian Games this year.

Zhang told us that China has launched a series of cricket promotion campaigns to get more and more young people involved. As many Asian cricket teams are improving, Zhang Peng has learned a lot of new ideas and knowledge in the process of officiating for games. He’s going to share these experiences with the cricket-loving children in Chongqing.

Go referee Jiang Zhou: it’s happy to witness the competitions between the top players and I feel a heavy responsibility as a referee

Jiang Zhou, President of Chongqing Shapingba Go Association, officiated for the men’s individual Go tournaments in the Hangzhou Asian Games, the first round of which featured a grueling match between China and Korea: Ke Jie (nine-dan) versus Park Junghwan (nine-dan).

"It is my great honor and great responsibility to be selected as an international technical official for the Asian Games after careful selection by the International Go Federation. I will try my best to complete my tasks,” said Jiang.

How to become a national referee? Jiang Zhou told us that those who have been first-class national referees for at least three years and officiated for national games more than three times can serve as national Go referees after receiving training and passing the examinations. Before the Hangzhou Asian Games, Jiang Zhou was selected to serve as a technical official for the World Go Team Championship, the World Amateur Go Championship, the National Games of the People's Republic of China, the National Mind Games, and other international and domestic competitions.

Go games are popular in Chongqing, and he would share what he learned in the Asian Games with the young people in Chongqing to boost Go education for young people, said Jiang. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)