Sanya 三亚
—  Prefecture-level city  —
三亚市
West part of Sanya
Location Sanya City (yellow) in Hainan Island and the PRC
Sanya Location in China
Coordinates: 18°15′12″N 109°30′13″E / 18.25333°N 109.50361°E / 18.25333; 109.50361Coordinates: 18°15′12″N 109°30′13″E / 18.25333°N 109.50361°E / 18.25333; 109.50361
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Hainan
Government
• CPC Municipal Secretary	Jiang Sixian
Area
• Total	1,919.58 km2 (741.15 sq mi)
Population (2010 Census)
• Total	685,408
• Density	360/km2 (920/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code	572100
Area code(s)	(0)898
Licence plate prefixes	琼B
Website	http://www.sanya.gov.cn/

Sanya (simplified Chinese: 三亚; traditional Chinese: 三亞; pinyin: Sānyà) is the southernmost city in the People's Republic of China and one of the two prefecture-level cities in Hainan Province. According to the 2010 Census, the population of Sanya is of 685,408 inhabitants^[1], living in an area of 1,919.58 km². The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination, also serving as the training site of the Chinese national beach volleyball team. Sanya is home to small concentrations of Utsul people.

History[link]

The ancient name of Sanya is Yazhou (崖州), which literally means "cliff prefecture". Its history can be dated back to the Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 BC). Since then, it has always been within the territory of the Chinese dynasties. Due to its remoteness, Sanya is sometimes called Tianya Haijiao (天涯海角), meaning "the end of the sky and ocean". Some prime ministers in various dynasties were exiled there and the Buddhist monk Jianzhen accidentally sailed there and used the place as one of his harbors for his missionary journey to Japan.^[2]

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan occupied the area from 1941–1945 and Sanya was known as Samah, and was the home port for the Second Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the main embarkation point for the Japanese Invasion of Malaya and Thailand.^{[citation needed]}

Geography and climate[link]

Sanya lies at the southern tip of Hainan Island at Sanya Bay. Located at 18° 15' N latitude, it is about as far north of the Equator as the Island of Hawaii is. Though the administrative area (Sanya Prefecture) has a rough topography, the city itself is generally flat, lying on a parcel of land between low-level mountains to the north and the South China Sea. The area has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen Aw),^[3] featuring very warm weather all year around. Monsoonal influences are strong, with a relatively lengthy wet season and a pronounced dry season. The coolest month is January, at 21.6 °C (70.9 °F), while the hottest, unlike much of the rest of China, is June, at 28.8 °C (83.8 °F); the annual mean is 25.8 °C (78.4 °F). Water temperatures remain above 20 °C (68 °F) year-round.^[4]

Subdivisions[link]

Sanya is a prefecture-level city, but its subdivisions are more similar to that of a sub-prefecture-level city or a county-level city. It has direct jurisdiction over 2 township-level districts (乡级管理区 xiangji guanli-qu), six towns (镇 zhen) and four state-run farms:

Tourism[link]

In recent years Sanya has become a popular tourist destination. The first international resort hotel was opened and managed by Swiss hotelier Nicolas C. Solari in 1999, in Yalong Bay.^[5] Numerous international hotel chains are now established in the area. In 2009 hotel group Mandarin Oriental opened their first property in mainland China in the Dadong Hai area of Sanya.

Because of geographical and political circumstances unique to Sanya, many niche markets have been cultivated in real estate, food and beverage management, Chinese language and cultural exchange, agro-tourism, and wilderness adventures.

Due to increased development, new venues for resorts have been developed. Formerly popular sites such as Dadong Hai and Yalong Bay have now been somewhat supplanted by the new Haitang bay and Xiangshui Bay, where the natural environment remains largely unspoiled.^[6]

Sanya attracts international travelers as can be seen by the many Russian and English signs throughout the city.

Restaurants in Sanya are also infamous for over-charging tourists (whether foreign or Chinese).^[7]

Attractions[link]

The Guanyin Statue of Hainan

• The Guanyin Statue of Hainan, a 108 metres (354 ft) Buddhist statue, completed in May 2005 and one of the tallest statues in the world^[8] and the adjoining Nanshan Temple.
• Yalong Bay, a 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) major tourist beach located east of Sanya City.
• Tianya Haijiao (The ends of the earth and the corners of the sea)
• Deer Turning Head Park (Luhuitou Park 鹿回头公园) - A park containing a large stone statue above Sanya harbour telling the story of a hunter pursuing a deer to an isolated headland near the sea. When the deer could not escape, it turned to look at the hunter and became a beautiful woman. The hunter could not kill the deer and instead fell in love with her. Luhuitou is a place for lovers; many people leave a padlock on a chain at the top of the mountain in the hope that their love will last as long as the lock remains.
• Dadonghai, Sanya, Haitang, and Yazhou, Xiangshuiwan Bay are the five major bays in Sanya, Xiangshuiwan Bay remains the most beautiful and natural near the famous Nuilin Mountain.^[9]
• A butterfly museum and a shell aquarium.

Other attractions include:

• Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago resort currently under construction in Sanya Bay.
• Wuzhizhou Island.
• West Island.
• Daxiao Dongtian (Fairy Caves).
• The Tiger and Crocodile centre.
• Nanshan Temple.
• Luobi Cave, an ancient karst cave 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Sanya.
• Lingshui/Xiangshui Li'an Ocean Harbor Theme Park is projected for 2013.^[10] It will be the largest water park in Asia^[11][12]

Transportation[link]

The city is served by Sanya Phoenix International Airport. Buses from other parts of the island serve Sanya's bus terminal. Taxis are available throughout the city.

The No. 8 bus connects the airport to Dadonghai Beach and Yalong Bay.

Construction of the Hainan East Ring Intercity Rail began in 2007. The railway now links Sanya and Haikou and runs along the east coast of Hainan. There are 15 stations in between, either in operation or still under construction. Trains are designed to travel at 250 km/h. Travel time from Sanya to Haikou is approximately 1 hour and 22 minutes. On December 30, 2010, an announcement was made that another high-speed railway will be built along the west coast of Hainan connecting with the Hainan East Ring Intercity Rail in Sanya and Haikou.

Events[link]

The city hosted the:

• 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4 Start to Auckland
• 2011 BRICS summit
• Elite Model Look in 2008 and 2009
• Miss World contest in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2010
• Mister World contest in 2007
• World's Strongest Man contest in 2006

Notes of interest[link]

Sanya was the first Chinese city (excluding Special Administrative Regions) to receive the Olympic torch after its departure from Beijing, in the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing.

Image gallery[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sanya

• Article about Guanyin statue, with pictures (note: the article confuses "Buddha" and "Guanyin")
• News,travel,business and cultural guide to Sanya and Hainan

v t e Hainan Province county-level divisions Prefecture level Prefecture-level cities Haikou Longhua District Meilan District Qiongshan District Xiuying District Sanya (no intermediate County-level divisions, see Administration of Sanya) County level Counties Chengmai Ding'an Lingao Tunchang County-level cities Wenchang Qionghai Wanning Wuzhishan Dongfang Danzhou Autonomous counties Baisha Baoting Changjiang Ledong Lingshui Qiongzhong Economic development zone Yangpu Economic Development Zone Administration office Administration Office for Xisha Islands, Zhongsha Islands and Nansha Islands See also: Politics of Hainan

Sanya Richards-Ross

File:Sanya Richards-Ross IAAF World Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey.jpg Richards-Ross during the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships
Personal information
Born	(1985-02-26) February 26, 1985 (age 27) Kingston, Jamaica
Residence	Austin, Texas
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	136 lb (62 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Running
Event(s)	400 m
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	400m: 48.70 (2006, AR)
Medal record Women's athletics Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 4×400 m relay Bronze 2008 Beijing 400 m World Championships Gold 2003 Paris 4×400 m relay Gold 2007 Osaka 4×400 m relay Gold 2009 Berlin 400 m Gold 2009 Berlin 4×400 m relay Gold 2011 Daegu 4×400 m relay Silver 2005 Helsinki 400 m World Indoor Championships Gold 2012 Istanbul 400 m Silver 2012 Istanbul 4x400 m relay

Sanya Richards-Ross (born February 26, 1985) is a Jamaican American track and field athlete who competes internationally for the United States. The reigning 2012 World Indoor Champion over 400 meters, Richards-Ross won an Olympic gold medal in the 4×400 meters relay at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and an individual bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics for the 400m. The following year, Richards-Ross became World Champion, winning a gold medal in the 400 meter race at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Career[link]

The 2012 season is off to a roaring start for Richards-Ross. Having set four world-leading times over 200 and 400 meters in her first three competitions of the season, electing to participate in indoor competition for the first time in several years, has proven beneficial for Richards-Ross. Being crowned 400m World Indoor Champion and helping her teammates win the Silver as the anchor in the 4x400m relay has been the icing on the cake on her journey to her ultimate gold of becoming Olympic Champion in her flagship event later this year.

Returning from an injury that prematurely ended her 2010 season, in 2011 Richards-Ross ran an impressive 49.66 just prior to the World Championships, in Daegu, South Korea but wound up seventh in the final. She later returned to top form in the 4x400 m relay, leading the United States to victory. It was her record fifth gold medal from the World Championships.

During the 2009 season, Richards-Ross took the 400 m national title in 50.05 seconds, finishing over half a second faster than the second placed Debbie Dunn. Although she expected faster times, she stated that winning the 2009 World Championships in Berlin was her number one goal.^[1] A win in 49.46 s at the Golden Gala in Rome broke Marita Koch's record for most sub-50 second runs, bringing Richards' career total to 36.^[2]
Coming up to the World Championships, Richards won her fourth Golden League race in the 400 m with the time of 49.34 seconds and won her first global championship in the 400 m at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin with a world leading time of 49.00 seconds. Richards-Ross also anchored team USA to a gold medal in the women's 4 x 400 m relay in the sixth fastest time in history of 3.17.83 minutes, Richards-Ross split time in the relay was unofficially 48.43 seconds. After a career defining World Championships, Richards-Ross went on to win her final two Golden League races with a new world leading times of 48.94 seconds (Zurich) and 48.83 seconds (Brussels) to share in the $1M dollar jackpot with men's 3000 m/5000 m winner Kenenisa Bekele and women's pole vault winner Yelena Isinbayeva, each receiving $333,333USD; this was the third time Richards had won the Golden League Jackpot. Sanya Richards-Ross ended her massive season on a high by winning silver in the 200 m at the IAAF World Athletics Final behind world champion Allyson Felix with a time of 22.29 seconds, and by winning gold in the 400m with a time of 49.95 seconds; achieving her 41st sub-50second 400 m run.

Richards-Ross has since gone on to win the gold medal at the World Championships in Berlin with a world leading time of 49.00 seconds in the 400m, and anchored her USA team mates Debbie Dunn, Allyson Felix and Lashinda Demus to a gold medal in the 4 x 400 m relay, while together running the sixth fastest time in history. Richards-Ross also won all of the remaining three Golden League meets over 400 m to share in the 2009 Jackpot with Kenenisa Bekele (men's 3000/5000m) and Yelena Isinbayeva (women's pole vault). Richards-Ross final three Golden League times were 49.34 in Paris, 48.94 (WL) in Zurich, and finally 48.83 (WL) in Brussels on the 4th of September. Richards-Ross ran eight times under 50 seconds in 2009 for a total of 40 time in her career at the time.

Richards celebrating her World Championships gold medal

At the Athens Olympics in 2004, Richards was part of the US team which finished first in the 4×400 meters relay. She has won a silver medal in the 400 meters at 2005 World Championships in Athletics. In 2006, together with Jeremy Wariner (400 m) and Asafa Powell (100 m) she won her sixth out of six IAAF Golden League events (100 m) in the same season, which earned her a total of $250,000. She broke Valerie Brisco-Hooks' US record of 48.83 with a 48.70 at the end of the 2006 season and was named IAAF 2006 Female World Athlete of the Year^[3] After failing to qualify for the 400 m at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka due to illness which caused her to finish fourth in the US trials, Richards-Ross was the favourite to win gold in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and qualified fastest for the final, but went out of the blocks too quickly and was overtaken in the finishing straight by Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain and Shericka Williams of Jamaica, consigning her to the bronze medal.

Richards-Ross left Jamaica for the USA at the age of 12 and became a US citizen in May 2002. At St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, she lettered in Track and Field in high school and is a member of the National Honor Society, ending her high school academic career with a 4.0 grade point average. In 2002 she was named National High School Female Athlete of the Year, USA Track and Field's Youth Athlete of the Year, and Track and Field News Women's Prep Athlete of the Year.^[4]

Sponsorship[link]

Sanya Richards-Ross' sponsorship deals include Nike, Inc, BP, BMW and Citibank.

In Aug 2007, Sanya was signed as a global brand spokesperson for Nutrilite, the world's leading brand of vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements (based on 2006 sales). Nutrilite products are sold through Amway corporation.^[5]

Personal[link]

Richards attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School and returned last year^[when?] to give a speech at the Homecoming pep rally. Before leaving Jamaica she attended the Vaz Preparatory and the Immaculate Conception High School. Richards graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 with a degree in management information systems. She is a singer and a dancer, regularly putting on shows for family and friends. In 2007, she became engaged to NFL defensive back Aaron Ross. They had been dating since 2003.^[6][7] The couple were married on February 26, 2010^[8] and their wedding was featured on an episode of Platinum Weddings.^[9]

In 2010, Richards starred in "The Educators", an Antoine Fuqua-directed Foot Locker commercial featuring Rajon Rondo, Amar'e Stoudemire, Justin Tuck, and DeSean Jackson.^[10] This commercial was mocked by The Onion.^[11][12]

Statistics[link]

Competition record[link]

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  United States
2002	World Junior Championships	Kingston, Jamaica	3rd	200 m	23.09
			2nd	400 m	51.49
2003	World Championships	Paris, France	11th (sf)	400 m	51.32
			1st	4x400m relay	3:22.63
2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	6th	400 m	50.19
2005	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	2nd	400 m	49.74
	World Athletics Final	Monaco	1st	400 m	49.52
2006	World Indoor Championships	Moscow, Russia	9th (sf)	400 m	52.46
	World Athletics Final	Stuttgart, Germany	2nd	200 m	22.17
			1st	400 m	49.25
	World Cup	Athens, Greece	1st	400 m	48.70
			1st	200 m	22.23
2007	World Championships	Osaka, Japan	5th	200 m	22.70
			1st	4x400m relay	3:18.55
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	3rd	400 m	49.93
			1st	4x400m relay	3:18.54
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	1st	400m	49.00
			1st	4x400m relay	3:17.83
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	7th	400 m	51.32
			1st	4x400m relay	3:18.09
2012	World Indoor Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	1st	400 m	50.79
			2nd	4x400 m relay	3:28.79

Personal bests[link]

• All information from IAAF profile.^[13]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Sanya Richards-Ross on Twitter
• YouTube Videoblogs
• IAAF profile for Sanya Richards
• USA T&F – Sanya Richards-Ross
• Sanya Richards Pictures
• Sanya Richards discusses her goals and disappointments coming into the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan
• TheFinalSprint.com's interview with sprinter Sanya Richards
• Flotrack Interview with Sanya Richards

Awards
Preceded by Yelena Isinbayeva	Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 2006	Succeeded by Meseret Defar
Preceded by Tirunesh Dibaba	Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 2009	Succeeded by Blanka Vlašić