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Roundup: Universiade Opens as Beijing Builds Up for Olympics
Universiade Opens as Beijing Builds Up for Olympics
Chinese President Jiang Zemin declared open the 21st World University Games Wednesday night, just over one month after Beijing was awarded the 2008 Olympic Games.
The Games, seen as an early Olympic rehearsal and a showcase of what Beijing has planned for 2008, is the first world multi-sports event ever held in China.
The 21st Universiade is the largest on record with over 8,000 athletes, officials, VIPs and media from 168 countries and regions attending.
China has the biggest representation with 265 athletes competing in all 12 sports at the 11-day Games. The United States, which has topped the medal standings at every University Games since 1991, has sent 183 athletes to compete in eight sports.
Beijing Universiade Opens
Beijing Mayor Liu Qi, President of the Organizing Committee, promised the best ever Games in Universiade history in his welcome speech.
"The 21st Universiade not only marks the very first international sports meet in the new century, but also the first international sports celebration since Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games," Liu said.
"Encouraged by this success, the citizens and particularly the youth of Beijing have been working very hard to ensure the Beijing Universiade a truly worthy event for all those involved.
"All the people of Beijing hope the 2001 Universiade, a magnificent event of friendship and brilliant performances, will be the best University Games in history."
Beijing Universiade Opens
George E. Killian, President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), spoke highly of sports facilities and athletes' village for the Games.
"New venues have been constructed, old venues have been refurbished, an athletes' village is without a doubt one of the finest ever constructed for a worldwide multi-sport event," said the 77-year-old American.
IOC Vice President Kevan Gosper of Australia and South Korean Kim Un-Yong, who heads the General Association of International Sports Federations, were among nine visiting IOC members who attended the opening ceremony.
The World University Games has added weight since Beijing won the 2008 Olympics with a landslide ballot victory on July 13.
The Games had an unimpressive budget of 340 million dollars but the organizers had access to greater resources than the balance sheets indicated, thanks to support of China's central government, the Beijing municipality and market operations.
The organizers have organized the longest and most expansive torch relay, built the first Games-specific athletes' village, spent 120 million U.S. dollars mending roads, constructing seven new sports facilities and renovating 45 including the Workers' Stadium and the Capital Stadium.
Chinese girls in ethnic attire ushered in 168 delegations, holding guide boards painted with logos of bird species.
Albania, the first to march in the Workers' Stadium, was with the logo of campo hawk. China, the last to enter, had golden pheasant on the guide board.
China has collected 106 gold medals since its Universiade debut in 1977 and aims to topple the United States as the overall title holder.
After a 110-day journey involving 300,000 torchbearers from 200 universities across the country, the Games flame reached its final destination at the Workers' Stadium.
At 2130 local time, Sydney Olympic diving champion Tian Liang lit the seven-meter-tall cauldron through a flying disc as a packed crowd of 80,000 roared.
In the men's basketball matches which took place before the opening ceremony, the United States overcame Iran 112-50 as China struggled in its 77-65 victory over Virgin Island.
Yugoslavia delivered a 94-66 thrashing of Ukraine in a typical European clash, while Sweden handed a 83-62 defeat to South Korea, who surprised China in the East Asian Games in May.
Greece and Turkey won over Angola and Russia respectively.
The Chinese men's volleyballers opened their campaign in style, beating Rwanda in straight sets.
Latvia met strong resistance from Australia, winning 25-21, 27- 25 and 28-26.
The competition will be in full swing Thursday as eight gold medals are decided in swimming, fencing, judo and gymnastics.
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