We're ready!, Chengdu Universiade World | Chengdu | Chengdu Universiade
Du Ying
Wang Yimeng
Ma Xueqi
Hu Ruikai is participating in the torch relay of the Chengdu Universiade.
Liu Dezhu
Pursuing Faster, Higher, Stronger
■ Liu Dezhu Track and Field Athletes
Before the National Athletics Championships held in Shenyang at the end of June, I learned the news that I would represent China in the World University Games. As a junior student majoring in Physical Education at Central China Normal University, I feel deeply honored and even more excited, because on the stage of the World University Games, I will have a better opportunity to approach and challenge national records, and fully showcase the youthful charm of Chinese university students on a broader stage!
At the upcoming Chengdu Universiade, I will compete in the men's 1500m athletics event. Although the Universiade is a competition among college students, many foreign athletes have also received professional training and possess a relatively high level of proficiency. Perhaps there is a certain gap in strength compared to my opponents, which requires me to put in more effort to face the game and compete with them with a learning attitude. If I could keep up with my opponents, the national record for the men's 1500 meters may not be unattainable.
This will be my first time stepping onto the track of a world-class competition. Looking back 11 years ago, when I was young, I represented my school in the county sports meet and enrolled in two events, the 100 meter and 1500 meter events, in one breath. The former suffered a defeat before reaching the final, while the latter ultimately won the championship, and thus I embarked on my own path of mid to long distance running. In the long journey, there have been smooth sailing and confusion. From the County Games to the Universiade, it was my own persistence and the encouragement of my coach that enabled me to move forward all the way to this day.
Now, I am the national record holder for the indoor men's 800 meter and indoor men's 1500 meter events, and I also won a bronze medal at the recently concluded Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand two weeks ago. But I will never forget that the national outdoor record has always been a goal that motivates me to constantly strive, and the venue of the Chengdu World University Games is an excellent stage for me to constantly approach my goals and test myself.
Without a few steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles. It is precisely through thousands of previous efforts that I finally have the opportunity to step onto the track of the Universiade. Faster, higher, and stronger are the eternal pursuit of every athlete. I also look forward to Chengdu becoming the starting point for me to compete on the international stage, from Chengdu to the world, and blooming the youthful power of Chinese university students on the field of the World University Games!
Our reporter Liu Shuoyang interview finishing
Sweat is the most memorable thing
■ Wang Yimeng Opening Ceremony Operation Center Performing Arts Group Volunteers
I am an undergraduate student from Sichuan Academy of Film and Television. As a young student, I am enthusiastic about participating in various social welfare volunteer activities. While serving others, my comprehensive literacy and practical ability have also been improved.
Therefore, upon receiving the recruitment information for volunteers for the Chengdu Universiade, I immediately registered to participate in the selection process, hoping to experience this global university student event through volunteering. In order to be selected smoothly, I made sufficient preparations in the early stage, including exercising my English dialogue skills and learning about the historical and cultural knowledge of the host city of Chengdu. After undergoing rigorous selection through online knowledge assessment and multiple rounds of interviews, I received the news of successful selection, which made me extremely happy and felt that all my efforts were not in vain.
After being officially selected in March, I joined the ranks of acting volunteers for the opening ceremony of the Chengdu Universiade, participating in two weekly, approximately 5-hour rehearsals at each school venue. After entering the June sprint phase, our rehearsal location moved to the venue for the opening ceremony, and the rehearsal time also became longer, requiring more than 10 hours of training almost every day.
Looking back on this rehearsal experience, the sweat I shed left a deep impression on me. In the summer, Chengdu is extremely hot and stuffy, especially at noon. Standing in the outdoor sports stadium, the sun is shining brightly and sweat is on my eyelashes, making it difficult for me to open my eyes. Sometimes when rainstorm is a guest, we will continue to train in raincoats, rain or shine. At the end of each training session, the sweat all over the body feels like it's just coming out of the sauna, clothes can wriggle out of the water, and blisters are also on the feet.
No matter how hard and tiring the training may be, I have never had the thought of regret or giving up. As a member of college students, being able to contribute to this youth event with my humble efforts is the main driving force that supports me to persist in rehearsals. At the same time, with the opportunity of rehearsal, I met many peers from different schools and majors. Through communication with them, I gained friendship and broadened my horizons.
The opening of the Universiade is approaching, and I hope that my colleagues and I can present the rehearsal and preparation program perfectly in our best state, showcasing the vibrant vitality and era of contemporary Chinese youth, and allowing the world to see the brilliance of Chengdu, China, and the brilliance of our university students. We will not disappoint the attention of all sectors of society to Chengdu and the Universiade.
Our reporter Ding Meidong interviewed and sorted out
Conveying the power of youth
■ Hu Ruikai Media Reporter
On July 14th, as the 128th torchbearer on the 3rd day and the 7th torchbearer at the Chengdu Station of the 31st Summer Universiade in Chengdu, I participated in the torch relay at this station. The whole process was only a few tens of meters long, but it left me with endless memories.
After graduating from Sichuan University in 1999, I have been working in sports news reporting. Now, I have been in the industry for almost 24 years and have been working at Chengdu Daily for over 21 years. Looking back on the years of hard work, I have interviewed major events such as the Olympics, World Cup, and Asian Games, as well as the torch relay for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. I think the biggest reason for persisting in "climbing and rolling" for so many years is still "love", my love for journalism and sports.
In the early stages of my career, I thought I would be a pure football journalist, but after joining Chengdu Daily in 2002, this mindset changed. Sports are not just sports, it should be an expression of national and urban development. With the development of the economy and society, and the continuous improvement of people's living standards, the role of sports has become more prominent, manifested in various aspects such as sports competition, national fitness, and industrial development.
The 21 years I worked at Chengdu Daily were also 21 years of rapid development in Chengdu sports. During this period, the number of sports events held in Chengdu continued to increase, and the level of competition continued to improve. From introducing and hosting international events such as the Asian Cup for men's football, to creating international sports events such as the World Sports Dance Festival, the "Sports Chengdu" national fitness brand has gained nationwide fame, which has led to a longer-term goal - to build a world-renowned city for sports events.
In recent years, Chengdu has successfully applied for a series of international competitions, and national competitions are even more numerous. The strongest feeling still comes from the Chengdu Universiade. In May 2021, 49 new and expanded venues for the Chengdu Universiade were completed, and the familiar Chengbei Sports Center reignited its youthful vitality; There are many examples of Dong Jiashan's stunning debut after the renovation of the Chengdu Shooting Hall.
The Chengdu Universiade is about to open, and the song of youth is about to be sung in Chengdu. I will continue to devote myself to my beloved work, spreading the brilliance of the world's youth power from Chengdu and allowing more people to experience the unique charm of Chengdu.
Interview and organization by Wang Mingfeng and Liu Yilin
Let everyone have a close understanding of Bashu culture
■ Director of Ma Xueqi Media Service Project
The footsteps of the Chengdu Universiade are getting closer and closer, and the main news center of the Universiade has gathered media reporters from all over the world. The media service project team I work for mainly provides a working environment, facilities, and services for registered media journalists, including accommodation, transportation, technology, network, registration, and information services for the Universiade.
In order to provide journalists with a better understanding of Sichuan's local culture, we have arranged a series of cultural activities in the main news center, such as Sichuan Opera Face Changing and Qingcheng Martial Arts. There are some differences in traditional performances, such as Sichuan Opera's face changing, which may result in masks from Sanxingdui or portraits of Panda Rongbao.
How to get everyone up close to understand Bashu culture? It's better to move. Next to the performance stage, there is a specially designed interactive display area. We hope that journalists can not only experience the culture of Sichuan firsthand, but also gain a deeper understanding of Sichuan and appreciate and savor traditional Chinese culture through exchanges, such as the Sichuan embroidery with delicate colors and needlework, and the Mianzhu New Year paintings that reflect the optimistic and upward trend of the Bashu people.
Stepping out of the news center, we carefully arranged 5 Chengdu urban cultural experience routes, with two time slots each morning and afternoon. Five buses departed on time, leading media reporters to the Panda Base, Jinsha Site, and Yulin Community. Each car is also equipped with one bilingual tour guide, leading everyone to gain a deeper understanding of Chengdu's unique cultural connotations and experience this park city under the snow capped mountains. From the current feedback, it appears that the journalists are all interested and have called and sent emails inquiring about how to register to participate.
"How to change my ID?" "How long does the cultural experience line start?" "What time does the restaurant start serving food?"... As the Universiade approaches, my phone is mostly in a "call" mode, constantly providing me with various feedback and inquiries. In order to better assist media reporters in reporting on the Universiade, we have equipped specialists to answer their questions at any time. Although it is very busy, we are all very happy to be able to solve problems for everyone.
At present, it is the dog days, and the staff of the main news center are busy preparing fans, summer tea drinks, and summer medicine for the media reporters. They have been preparing and looking forward to the long-awaited Universiade, and it is finally coming!
Our reporter Song Haoxin interviewed finishing
Be a good ambassador for cultural exchange between China and foreign countries
■ Du Ying delegation's entourage
I am a graduate student studying Chinese International Education at Sichuan University. After learning about the recruitment of volunteers for the Chengdu Universiade, I immediately registered. Being able to witness and participate in such a global youth sports event at home will be a very precious life experience.
My business area is delegation service, and my position is delegation attendant. The main purpose of this position is to provide language liaison services for various delegations and assist the team leader in carrying out various tasks. For example, pre competition registration, accommodation, transportation, and event organization during the competition cannot be separated from our presence. There is a vivid saying that sometimes we are guides, sometimes we are translators, and later we may even become the city's propaganda ambassador.
Sports events are not just about winning gold and silver on the field, but also about the unity, cooperation, and silent dedication behind the scenes. In order to demonstrate their best performance and provide high-quality services, volunteers have undergone a series of professional training and pre job drills. Under the guidance of relevant teachers, we gained a deep understanding of the national conditions and conditions of the corresponding delegation, as well as knowledge of foreign affairs etiquette, religious taboos, and other aspects. We also received training on emergency rescue, fire safety, and other aspects.
During the on-site exercises, the entire process and elements of the opening and closing ceremonies were rehearsed multiple times. We need to grasp the gathering route of the delegation each time and familiarize ourselves with the important points of the Universiade Village and various venues. In July in Chengdu, the weather was hot and volunteer training was very difficult, but we never heard anyone shout tired or shrink back from seeing anyone, because we also have our own "big luck dream"! During training breaks, everyone will organize various fun activities. Once, the friends gathered together to have a watermelon eating competition, it was extremely lively! That scene is always fun to think of!
In March this year, delegation leaders from five continents gathered in Chengdu to visit the venues of the Universiade and inspect various preparations for the event. At that time, I volunteered for the Portuguese delegation and formed a deep friendship. Now, I am glad to see my old friends again, and I look forward to making more new friends. In the process of serving, I will be a good ambassador for cultural exchange between China and foreign countries.
During the Chengdu Universiade, we will provide professional, friendly, and thoughtful services to ensure the smooth holding of the event, showcasing Tianfu culture and the beauty of China to friends around the world.
Our reporter Shi Zhipeng interview finishing
All images in this version are provided by respondents
People's Daily Overseas Edition
