China

Shenzhen submits bid for 2011 Universiade

(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-06-30 11:25

A delegation from Shenzhen Municipal Government submitted the bid document for the 26th World University Games to the International University Sports Federation (FISU) in Brussels on Wednesday, formally starting the city's bid for the biannual event.

China's State Council gave the nod to Shenzhen in December 2004 to bid for the 2011 Universiade.

It is the nation's latest campaign to host a comprehensive international sports tournament after Beijing and Harbin successfully won the rights to hold the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and 2009 World University Winter Games.

The Shenzhen government has been working on the bid document since it got approval.

The document, in four languages including Chinese, English, French and Spanish, won high praise from Roch Campana, secretary general of FISU, who said he was impressed with its quality and Shenzhen's determination to win the hosting rights.

In the report, the city government promised to build 12 new stadiums and gyms in Futian, Nanshan and Luohu districts.

A new International Olympic Centre featuring a 60,000-seat main stadium, a 18,000-seat gym, a 13.4-square-kilometre park and other facilities, will also be established in Longgang District.

Before Wednesday, five other cities have also applied for the Universiade.

They are Poznan of Poland, Kazan of Russia, Murcia of Spain, Edmonton of Canada and Kaohsiung of Chinese Taipei.

More cities are likely to apply for the event before the deadline today, making it the most competitive bid ever.

Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng will make a presentation in Turin, Italy, on July 1, 2007 when the winning city will be announced.

If Shenzhen wins the bid, it will become the second Chinese city to host the games after Beijing hosted the 21st World Universiade in 2001.

Beijing hosted a successful Universiade two months after it won the rights to host the 2008 Olympics.

China, already sending its top-notch athletes, has a glorious history in Universiade competition. In Beijing 2001 and Daegu 2003, China topped the medal standing.

In the 2005 Universiade in Izmir, Turkey, sprinter Hu Kai from Tsinghua University won the 100m, becoming the first Chinese athlete to win the event in any international tournament.