A 960-member Shandong delegation attends the 15th National Games in Guangdong province. [Photo/Dazhong News]

From the Yellow River to the Pearl River, 960 Shandong athletes are powering China's 15th National Games in Guangdong province. Olympic pistol king Li Yuehong carried the flag at Saturday's opening, leading the Shandong squad, which has six Olympic titles, 32 world crowns and 89 national championships under its belt.

So far, Shandong team has gained several remarkable fruits. Li's team grabbed the opening gold in men's 25-meter rapid-fire pistol; Hu Xiaoyu and Shan Mengyuan crowned 49er-class sailing championship; Liu Dewen topped taijiquan (tai chi)-taijijian (tai chi straight sword) competition; Lian Junjie claimed diving all-around; Xing Hui seized karate 75 kilograms; and the U-18 footballers added silver.

Behind the haul is the province that has baked sport into its economic blueprint, upgrading supply chains and stoking fitness consumption. From Hangzhou's 38 Asian Games golds to the Paris Olympics' five golds, four silvers and six bronzes, Shandong is a goldmine of talent and grit.

As the finals roll on, Shandong targets nothing less than topping the table and exporting its model to China's sports-power dream.