Foreign athletes praised "too dreamy" and watched the Universiade Athletes' Gala | Athletes | Universiade
On the evening of July 28th, young people from all over the world just witnessed a passionate and energetic opening ceremony of the Universiade. 24 hours later, the Universiade Athletes' Gala with the theme of "Youth in Time" was held in the grand theater on the second floor of the Universiade Art Center.
"I have never attended such a grand welcome party before, it's really fantastic," Slovak tennis player Stara Lenka sighed to the reporter from The Paper as she walked out of the venue.
On July 29th, participating athletes watched the program at the party. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Duan
On the evening of the 29th, the entire celebration presented a dialogue and exchange between traditional and modern, Eastern and Western civilizations through various forms such as Chinese style, folk music, Sichuan opera, martial arts, rap, street dance, games, magic, electronic music, and birthday celebrations. It promoted interactive gatherings between young artists, athletes, college students, and volunteer representatives from China and abroad, creating a joyful, friendly, passionate, and dream driven atmosphere for the Universiade.
About 100 members of some national delegations and athletes participated in the celebration.
On July 29th, Zhang Jiaqi and Ren Qian performed live at the party. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Duan
The organizers of the event told a reporter from Pengpai News, "As a comprehensive world sports event second only to the Olympics in scale, the World University Games is not only a sports stage that showcases the level of competition, but also an important platform for promoting global youth exchange and integration, and promoting the inclusive coexistence of different civilizations."
"Holding the 'Youth in Time' World University Students' Gala is also to allow young people to experience the beauty of diverse civilizations in the world, and to gather together as a magnificent force of youth to promote the progress of human civilization and build a community with a shared future for mankind."
On July 29th, at the scene of the celebration. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Duan
Before the start of the party, invited college students from various countries were already attracted by Chinese culture.
On the first floor of the Art Center, college students were experiencing writing Spring Festival couplets, purchasing Rongbao cultural and creative products, and walking nearly a kilometer from the cafeteria to the Art Center. They also had experiences of traditional Chinese culture such as pitching pots and playing chess. Many foreign athletes were very interested in sitting in front of stone benches. Although they didn't know how to play Chinese chess, they still had their peers take this rare picture with their phones.
American athletes take to the stage to learn Sichuan Opera
The evening party was almost always accompanied by applause and cheers - the most interesting part was when an American athlete stepped on stage to learn the Zhama Bu from a Sichuan opera master. Although the final presentation was somewhat awkward, this brave performance on stage still won the applause of Chinese and foreign athletes.
Subsequently, Olympic diving champions Ren Qian and Zhang Jiaqi also arrived at the party venue, and their duet pushed the atmosphere to a climax.
The most heartwarming scene was when the organizers specially invited two foreign athletes who celebrated their birthdays on July 29th. The large screen was filled with the words "Happy Birthday" in various languages around the world, and everyone on site sang a happy birthday song together.
The party, which lasted for about an hour and a half, quickly came to an end, and many foreign athletes who walked out of the venue were still unsatisfied. Martinez, who represented Spain in martial arts competitions, performed a complete set of martial arts movements outside the venue, causing many athletes and media watching nearby to applaud.
His coach Rodriguez said, "I came to China this time to learn about some Chinese culture, especially Chinese kung fu." Living in a village with thousands of people is a different experience. I haven't been wandering around yet. I think I must go and explore the city of Chengdu after the competition is over. "
On July 29, actors performed The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting at the party. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cai Xiangxin
Stara Lenka told Paper that her hometown is a small city in Slovakia. "My first impression of this place is that it's big, it's hard to imagine it's such a big city. Also, it's friendly, and volunteers give people a warm feeling. The organizing committee has provided us athletes with too many convenient services."
Lenka has been eating a lot of Chinese food in the restaurant these days. "I haven't had the chance to try hotpot yet, but I think I will. I know it's the most famous food in Chengdu. However, I'm not very accustomed to spicy food. Every time I try a little, it feels like I'm struggling, but it's okay. I also choose many other varieties of Chinese food."
"Although I can't name it, the taste is really good. There's basically no need to eat Western food here, I can adapt to Chinese food."
