Abstract: Integrating sports elements into the overall planning and layout of urban public space and promoting its sporting utilization is a new concept and path to expand the space for national fitness. Using the methods of literature research, case analysis and field work, this paper studied the issue of utilizing urban public space for sports and sorted out the four types of models, that is, the model of activating sports elements of unused spaces, the model of creating sports scene in green space, the model of planning sports network in road space, and the model of superposing sports function in square space. It is found that the utilization of urban public space for sports in China is facing such problems as outdated concept, policy guarantee and management system needed to be improved, public space planning and design lacking in comprehensive consideration, and insufficient operation and maintenance management and guarantee. Accordingly, proposals are to make up for the short board by urban renewal, improve the relevant policy guarantee system to build a cooperative working mechanism among departments, scientifically plan various kinds of space resources to layout fitness venues according to the needs, and strengthen the operation and maintenance service guarantee system to promote the sustainable development of space utilization.