Twice-delayed World University Games coming to Chengdu in July

The Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games will be held from July 28 to August 8 in Sichuan province after being delayed twice due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

University athletes are expected to compete for 269 gold medals in 18 sports, according to a news conference held on Wednesday, marking the 100-day countdown to the Games.

Wang Jiayi, vice-minister of the Ministry of Education, said the Games will be the first major international sports event held in an open manner in China after the breaking out of the epidemic, and it has received a great deal of attention both domestically and abroad.

The hosting of the Games has been full of twists and turns, he said. Although it had to be postponed twice due to COVID-19, the organizing committee has spent a lot of manpower and money overcoming difficulties to prepare for the event, he said at a news conference held at the State Council Information Office.

The Games will be a significant event, greatly contributing to building a platform of competition, strengthening understanding and friendship and promoting people-to-people exchanges, he said.

After four years of preparation, Chengdu has built high-quality sport venues, trained professional organizers and planned various educational, cultural and sports activities, Wang said.

University athletes worldwide can not only realize their sports dreams, but also enjoy the charisma of the city and China, he added.