The 14th Sports Festival of GZU Kicked Off with Fervor and Gaiety    

On the morning of November 14th, the opening ceremony of the 14th Sports Festival of GZU was held at the track and field stadium on the West Campus. Present at the opening ceremony were Song Bao'an, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the president of GZU; and Luo Changjiang, Linghu Caitao, the deputy secretary of the Party Committee of GZU. Vice presidents of GZU Jin Daochao, Wang Fangheng, Li Junqi, and Zhang Qian also attended the ceremony. Wang Fangheng presided over the opening ceremony.    

Forty-four delegations from different colleges, together with the Department of Party-related Affairs, marched in lockstep, following the music of "Athlete March."  The representatives, filled with pride and confidence, marched towards the podium for the inspection while chanting slogans. The Dragon and Lion Dance Team from the College of Mathematics and Statistics presented a phenomenal performance. Their dance brought the lion and the dragon to life, fully showcasing the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. The GZU aerobics team danced to the music entitled "National Aerobics." Their performance fired up everyone present.   

Song Bao'an delivered an opening speech after the delegations marched in.    Mr. Song stressed that increasing sports events on campus is vital for colleges and universities to train professional talents; and everyone should realize that the sports festival aims to boost sports events on campus, and enhance a culture of sports at GZU. He hoped that the sports event helps the faculty and students of GZU gain a broader outlook on education, talents and well-being; and they develop a habit of participating in sports so that they become not just physically strong, but also mentally healthy. The students were advised that they should do sports on a regular basis, build perseverance and resilience, and enhance their physical strength. Mr. Song wished for the sports festival to be a big success!   

The referee representatives and the athlete representatives took an oath. They vowed to abide by the rules of the competition, respect one another, judge fairly, and stay engaged.   

The 14th Sports Festival of our school officially kicked off right after Song Bao'an made the opening announcement of the 14th Sports Festival of GZU. The sports festival will last three days from November 14th to 16th. There are altogether 42 sports programs, including two group sports (faculty and staff broadcast gymnastics and volleyball) and 40 individual track and field programs (e.g., men's and women's 400 meters, shot put, long jump and high jump, etc.)  

Text: Zhang Chen, Luo Wenwen (Intern), GZU News Center

Video: Chen Heng, Li Hui, GZU News Center

Chief Editor: Fan Jiajia

Senior Editor: Tang Juan

Translator: Li Xiaorong

Proofread: Zoe Novak, Zhou Jie