Nyingchi plateau training base, the first of its kind for athletes to conduct high altitude training in Tibet, begins construction on Nov. 27, according to the Sports Department of Tibet Autonomous Region.

Covering an area of 7.4 acres, the training base is located in Bayi County of Nyingchi Prefecture, with an investment of 67 million yuan. The construction will take two years from now, which includes a natatorium, a comprehensive gymnasium, a climbing gym and an archery range, etc. The original ground track field will also be expanded and renovated.

Altitude training is a method for athletes to receive special training regularly at high altitude, which has become a common practice of athletes all over the world. The practice routines stretch from traditional endurance sports to speed sports such as sprint, hurdles and ball games.

At the altitude of 3,000 meters, Nyingchi plateau training base sits in a thickly forested area where the oxygen content is 78 percent of that at sea, which is much higher than the average in places at the same altitude.

Nyingchi has a warm and humid climate, devoid of summer heat and winter cold. With average annual temperature of 9.1°Celsius, coupled with ample sunshine, Nyingchi is suitable for year-round sports training.

Being the transportation hub and economic center of Nyingchi Prefecture, Bayi County enjoys the convenience of flight and trafficway. Local experienced plateau healthcare teams are a plus in the support system for sports training. Moreover, local herbs like herba rhodiolae and cordyceps sinensis could play unique efficacy in athletes’ nutritional supply and body recuperation.