China invests sh9.5 trillion in World University Games

With over $2.5b invested by host city Chengdu in the organisation of next year's FISU Summer World University Games, Team Uganda can be sure of a spectacular environment for their medal hunt.

Team Uganda Head of Delegation Mark Kayongo is understandably impressed by Chengdu's investment, but  not shocked.

"This looks like a huge expenditure but considering China's legacy in organising global events, I am not surprised," Kayongo said.

"We expect the Games to be world-class"

Chengdu ready

That much is clear. A total of 49 world-class venues are planned for this university games, including 13 newly built. All the projects are scheduled to be completed by April 2021. Chengdu is fast emerging as an economic hub in southwest China, and has gone about  boosting economic growth and its international reputation by hosting grand sports events.

Official data shows that during the past three years, the city has invested more than $2.6b (sh9.5 Trillion)in sports venues — about five times more than the total amount invested in the past six decades.

And in a bid to assemble a competitive team in Chengdu, the Association of Uganda University Sports (AUUS) plans to work with the Chinese Embassy under the leadership of Chinese Ambassador Zheng ZhuQiang.

Commenting about China's readiness to host the Games, Team Uganda's Head of Delegation Mark Kayongo stated that:

"The local organising committee (LOC) indicates that over $2.6bn (sh7.5T) has been invested to prepare the games facilities. This looks a huge expenditure but considering China's legacy in organising global events, I am not surprised."

"The preliminary preparations report shows that China is in advanced stages to have the games village ready. We expect the Games to be world class," he added.

Chengdu won the bid to host the 31st Summer World University Games on March 1, 2019, and was only left with less than two years and a half before the Games,  which are the biggest multi-sports affair after the Olympics.

Although the tight schedule has posed challenges to relevant construction tasks, "all the constructors in the project have advanced their work in an orderly manner out of a strong sense of responsibility", according to Tang Chongmin, vice director of General Affairs Department, Executive Committee of the Chengdu 2021 Universiade.

It's a community affair

But the responsibility of delivering a successful Games is not resting on just the masons. Eighteen million citizens in Chengdu are also preparing themselves for the showpiece. More than 20,000 taxi and bus drivers in Chengdu have volunteered to help promote the Universiade, while the city also plans to recruit 500,000 volunteers to provide consulting services, traffic guidance, and maintain order around the venues for the event.

The Chengdu Universiade is scheduled to take place only some 10 days after the postponed Tokyo Olympics, which leaves the possibility of changes to the University Games depending on the success of the Olympics.

As vice president International Olympic Committee Yu Zaiqing Vice President explained, "The pandemic is continuing and it's hard to predict how long it will last. So if Tokyo can host the Games successfully, it is sure to affect Chengdu in a positive way. It can draw much experience from Tokyo and perform well."

Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, held a grand event on the evening of August 18 to mark the one-year countdown to the 31st  Games, during which Rangbao the event mascot was, among other key items, unveiled.

Rongbao is a cartoon image of a giant panda, appearing with a torch in his hand. The flame above the torch is in the shape of "31", denoting the 31st edition of the Universiade. Rongbao's ears, eyes and tail are all in the shape of flame.

A 5G experience

Chengdu government hopes the event will not only promote the economy and provide a venue to share local culture, it will also display Chinese technological advancements. The VR and 5G network will be made full use of during the opening and closing ceremonies, which will also highlight cultural elements of Chengdu city and Sichuan province, including the Golden Sun Bird, giant panda, face-changing in Sichuan opera, Sanxingdui relics as well as Jiuzhaigou nature reserve, aiming to stage two carnivals for audience that combine international flavor with Chinese and Sichuan styles.

In short, an experience of a lifetime.

An experience that should see Uganda's rich tradition at the University Games write another memorable chapter in Chengdu.

Uganda will field a 52-strong team that will compete in tennis, table tennis, basketball, badminton, swimming, and athletics, with medals, as usual, expected from the latter discipline.

For Uganda, the relationship with the University Games, or Universiade, stretches back to 1973, while this will be the third time, after Beijing 2001 and Shenzen 2011, that Uganda's university talents perform in China.