The World University game or Universiade is the second largest multisport event after the Olympics. This year there were 150 countries competing in Shenzen.
After a long 13 hour journey we finally made to the Shenzen Universiade village. The temperature was around 30 degrees Celsius and it was extremely humid. As soon as we got off the bus we were greeted with welcome. I thought to myself ‘so this is what it feels like to be a superstar’.
we arrived in an environment which we were not previously accustomed to.
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| Fig 1.1 Inside the stadium marching towards the opening ceremony |
One of the most memorable moments during in Shenzen was the opening ceremony when all the New Zealand athletes’ marched on stage while thousands and thousands of crowds cheered and clapped. Another highlight for me was going inside the Shenzen Bay sports centre for the first time. It was the venue where the table tennis competition was held.
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| Fig 1.2 Competing against a Thailand |
In the teams event we played against Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Spain. In the singles event I played against a player from Vietnam, and a player from Chinese Taipei. After I finished competing we enjoy watching some of the other top country play such as China, Japan, Russia, and France. The crowds were all very involved in every game that China was playing. There was a lot of cheering of “zhong guo dui jia yo” which means “go team china”. It really made me feel like being in a real competition.
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| Fig 1.3 Athlete apartments |
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| Fig 1.4 Dinning hall |
In the village we stayed at apartment blocks with rooms of three athletes. The New Zealand team was on the 7 and 8th floor of building B2. There were around 88 people including athletes, coaches, and managers. I was staying in a room with other two table tennis players. At the dining hall there was an unlimited supply of food, with great variety. It also included free Mc Donalds. However, none of us ate it until our event was finished.
Overall, the Shenzen Universiade is by far one of the best experience I ever had being a table tennis player. I was proud to be given the opportunity to represent my country and given the chance to explore the world through my eyes. After this event I have not only gained plentiful experience playing table tennis but also gained experiences about other cultures.
Stay in tuned as I will blog more about my adventures at the world uni games...
...to be continued
