Writing a New Youth Story (Focused on the Universiade) China | College Students | Youth

Figure 1: On July 25th, athletes from the Chinese university artistic gymnastics team trained at the Gymnasium of Chengdu Sports Institute.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Hongjing

Figure 2: Dong'an Lake Sports Park Main Stadium, Multi functional Gymnasium, Swimming and Diving Hall, and Small Ball Stadium.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shen Bohan

At the foot of Longquan Mountain, the main sports stadium of Dong'an Lake Sports Park is magnificent. Looking down from the sky, the "Sun God Bird" made up of 12000 pieces of glazed glass assembled on the dome is flapping its wings and ready to fly, reflecting the splendid prosperity of the Land of Abundance.

This is Chengdu, Sichuan. The 31st Summer Universiade of the World University and the Millennium Chengdu City will meet as scheduled, and the curtain will only open on the evening of July 28th.

After 64 years, the Universiade is still in its prime. The characteristics of emphasizing growth, promoting communication, and moving towards the future endow this comprehensive international competition with surging vitality. Now, the Universiade has passed the baton to Chengdu, and a new story of youth is waiting for young people around the world to write together.

Chasing Dreams Stage, Showcasing Style

Entering the Chengdu Universiade Museum, there are over 1000 physical collections that are overwhelming. Instructor Zhang Hengyuan is explaining the long history of the Universiade to visitors.

Take precious photos one by one to record the participation of Chinese people in the Universiade. In the first Universiade of 1959, China sent four track and field athletes to participate; In 1977, he participated in the Universiade for the first time as a Chinese sports delegation; In 1979, Chinese athletes won their first gold medal at the Universiade. "Many well-known athletes have emerged from the Universiade, such as Li Ning, Yao Ming, Liu Xiang, Guo Jingjing..." said Zhang Hengyuan.

With the development of the times, China is getting closer and closer to the Universiade. In 2001 and 2011, Beijing and Shenzhen successfully hosted the Universiade, and the world witnessed the rapid development of China. In March 2019, the 31st Summer Universiade was held in Chengdu. China is holding hands with the Universiade for the third time, determined to present a sports event with Chinese characteristics, showcasing the charm of the times, and showcasing the charm of Sichuan to the world.

During the more than 1000 days and nights of preparing for the Universiade, the host city of Chengdu aimed to "organize competitions, run cities, develop industries, and benefit the people" with every step taken solidly and effectively. 13 new venues will be built and 36 renovated venues will be opened to the public in advance before the opening of the Universiade. According to the principle of "university needs and university needs", Chengdu Dayun Village adopts a "combination of construction and renovation" approach, and will continue to be utilized after the competition.

In addition to high-quality hardware, there is also high-quality software. Since 2018, Chengdu has regarded building a world-renowned city for sports events as one of its urban construction goals. The accumulated experience in organizing competitions and coordination and management capabilities have provided strong guarantees for the smooth operation of all aspects of the Universiade. After the arrival of each delegation, they frequently praised the excellent service guarantee provided by the organizer.

"The hosting of the Chengdu Universiade has gone through many difficulties, but Chengdu has never given up and bravely moved forward. I believe this Universiade will be very exciting," said Brian, the event manager of the Summer Universiade Department of the International University of Sport Federation.

Youth gathering, passionate and soaring

In the 100-day countdown to the opening of the Chengdu Universiade, the Tsinghua University campus held the "Youth has an appointment to sing the Universiade" event. Hu Kai, deputy director of the Sports Department of Tsinghua University, appeared in the crowd. He had another identity-the men's 100 m champion at the 2005 Izmir Universiade.

Hu Kai's success has provided a vivid example for the integration of sports and education, and has also led many people to re understand the value of university sports. By leveraging the platform of the Universiade, the concept of being a sports person can be widely disseminated worldwide.

The former Universiade was once known as the "Little Olympics" due to its large scale, large number of participants, and high level of competition. Nowadays, this concept has been greatly diluted. The Universiade is more like a youth gathering, providing a stage for cultural exchange, integration and interaction, and enhancing friendship for young people around the world.

At the Chengdu Universiade, the Chinese university sports delegation sent a total of 411 athletes to participate in all 18 events, with an average age of 22.9 years old. Among them, 94.2% of the participants participated in the World University Summer Games for the first time, and 83.6% of the participants represented their country for the first time in the World Comprehensive Games. Making college students the protagonists of the Universiade and cultivating a younger generation with a more international perspective and competitive vitality is more important than athletic performance.

The definition of success is not just triumph, but also struggle. Chinese artistic gymnastics team athlete Li Xuerui and his teammates practice hard for more than ten hours every day, just to bloom "strength and beauty" on the field. Not only that, as a graduate student, she combines competition with scientific research, prepares survey questionnaires early, and hopes to communicate with other contestants during competition breaks. The Universiade is a rare learning opportunity for her.

In the heart of 20-year-old Finnish basketball player Lukonin Emi, the key word for the Universiade is "integration". Participating in the Universiade allowed him to step out of the European competition circle and immerse himself in cultural backgrounds and basketball styles from different regions. "I can't wait to experience this tournament and re-examine my projects, hoping to create interesting sparks."

Valuable wealth that benefits the long run

Fenghuangshan Sports Park, located in Jinniu District, Chengdu, is home to the Chengdu Rongcheng team in this season's Chinese Super League, and the scene has been bustling on social media. During the Chengdu Universiade, basketball competitions will be held here. "The enthusiasm of Chengdu citizens for sports has reached an unprecedented level," sighed volunteer Li Yanbo.

Integrating sports into daily life is exactly the pursuit of the Chengdu Universiade. Over the past few years, over 5000 kilometers of Tianfu Greenway have been built, with over 1700 sports facilities along the way. The total number of parks in the city exceeds 1500, and many previously idle urban corners have become sports spaces. Nowadays, in this "park city", sports facilities can be seen everywhere, and national fitness is becoming a trend.

As the Director of the Summer Universiade Department of the International Federation of Sports Federations, Zhao Jing deeply feels the changes in Chengdu. We hope to grow together with the city. This is not only necessary for the sustainable development of the Universiade, but also a valuable asset for the development of the urban sports industry.

The Universiade not only activates the sports atmosphere. Youth is the hope for the future and the creator of a better tomorrow. Since self organizing the Universiade, the number of registered young volunteers in Chengdu has increased from 670000 to 1.39 million, with over 6300 new volunteer service organizations joining. One youthful face after another, showcasing a sunny, open, and hopeful urban image.

Spread friendship through sports, unite strength through culture, and build peace through communication. On the evening of July 28th, as the world's attention once again turned to China, a "destined to be different and exciting" Universiade outlined a new look in college sports.

"The smile of youth is the name of love. You and I, here, the world has us..." The melodious song came, and the Universiade took agile steps, taking Chengdu as a new starting point and strode towards the future.