ANKARA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 23rd Summer Deaflympics kicked off on late Tuesday in Turkey's Black Sea side city Samsun, with more than 3,000 athletes from 97 countries watching the opening ceremony.

The Deaflympics, previously called World Games for the Deaf, will be held from July 18 to 30 at 37 sports facilities in eight different districts of Samsun.

The participants will compete in 21 categories, including track-and-field, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cycling, football, golf, handball, judo, karate, mountain bike, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball and wrestling.

The Chinese delegation with 107 athletes will take part in nine events.

Around 1,500 volunteers are carrying out duties during the tournament, of whom 250 are deaf. In addition, 500 sign language translators will work at the event.

The first Deaflympics was organized by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) in Paris in 1924.