Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam – AIPS Media
CHENGDU, July 28, 2023 – Imagine having the honour to participate in the Opening Press Conference of the first major international multi-sport event taking place in your hometown on your birthday. Chinese athlete Yanni Wu had this experience on Friday, July 28. Even more interesting is the fact that this long-awaited event, the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games, opens today as well, at the Dong’an Lake Sports Stadium, and Yanni Wu, a four-time national 100m hurdles champion, hopes to “realise her sporting dream”, like the slogan of the Games state: “Chengdu makes dreams come true”.
MEMORABLE OPENING Wu, a Sichuan native, is one of 6,500 student-athletes from 113 countries that have converged on the Land of Abundance, the capital of Sichuan Province, for this two-week sporting festival. The giant countdown clock of the Games, standing at the heart of the city, is quickly ticking down, and after a few days of rain, the sun is out today for the Opening Ceremony of Chengdu 2021.
With a smile on his face, the Acting President of FISU, Leonz Eder, acknowledged the bright, blue sky during the press conference, in anticipation of a memorable start to the Games. As announced by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, the President of the country Xi Jinping will attend the ceremony alongside other world leaders.
POWER OF SPORTS Eder said the name, Chengdu 2021, which was retained despite the event being postponed twice, is “a reminder of everything we have been through this past year” and “a reminder of the power of sports to overcome”. He appreciated the Chengdu 2021 organisers for delivering a “simple, safe and splendid Games”.
YOUTHFUL DREAMS The theme of youthful dreams will be explored during the Opening Ceremony of the Games tonight, according to Rongsheng Xian, the vice Mayor of Chengdu, who added that the Games will benefit the passionate 21 million people of Chengdu, of which 9.4 million participate regularly in exercises. Xian also explained that most of the 20,000 volunteers at Chengdu 2021 were recruited from universities, including 35 Chengdu Universities.
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