英语新闻｜Shared future in spotlight as games open

President Xi Jinping announced the start of the 31st FISU World University Games at a spectacular opening ceremony in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Friday.

7月28日，国家主席习近平在四川成都举行的盛大开幕式上宣布，由国际大学生体育联合会主办的第31届世界大学生运动会正式开幕。

Applause filled the 40,000-seater Dong'an Lake Sports Park Stadium as Xi declared the opening of the first large international sporting event to take place in China since it adjusted its COVID-19 response mechanism late last year.

当习近平宣布大运会开幕时，拥有4万多个座位的东安湖体育公园体育场内响起了热烈的掌声。这是自去年底中国调整新冠疫情应对机制以来，首次在中国举办的大型体育赛事。

Apart from medals, student-athletes taking part in the event are also looking forward to bringing home fond memories of China and new friendships, athletes and officials said.

运动员和官方人员表示，参加这项赛事的学生运动员不仅是为了争夺奖牌，更希望在中国留下美好回忆并结交新朋友。

A total of 6,500 student-athletes from 113 countries and regions will compete in 269 events across 18 sports at the Chengdu games, which run until Aug 8. The event is the third summer university games held on the Chinese mainland, following those in Beijing in 2001 and Shenzhen in 2011.

在成都举行的第31届世界大学生运动会将有来自113个国家和地区的6500名学生运动员参加，共有18个项目、269个比赛项目。此次赛事将持续至8月8日。这是继2001年北京和2011年深圳之后，在中国大陆举办的第三届夏季大学生运动会。

Huai Jinpeng, president of the organizing committee of the Chengdu games and minister of education, extended a warm welcome to young athletes and coaches from all over the world at the opening ceremony.

在开幕式上，成都大运会组委会主席、教育部部长怀进鹏向来自世界各地的年轻运动员和教练员表示热烈的欢迎。

"Tonight, the world is turning its eyes to China and to Chengdu in particular, to witness university students from across the globe coming together to celebrate this splendid gathering of youth and embark on a journey of self-transcendence," Huai said.

怀进鹏说：“今天全世界的目光聚焦中国、聚焦成都，共同见证全球青年学子绚丽多彩的青春之约，一同踏上超越自我的梦想之旅。”

Leonz Eder, acting president of the International University Sports Federation, thanked China, Chengdu, the members of the organizing committee and the volunteers for their contribution to making the grand event happen.

国际大体联代理主席艾德在致辞时，中国政府和四川省、成都市以及所有参与者，共同打造一场不负期待的运动盛会表示衷心感谢，向参赛运动员送上美好祝愿。

Eder said that "the magic of the FISU World University Games" was the fact that it brought together so many young people from so many different countries and regions.

艾德表示：“世界大学生夏季运动会的魅力在于它汇聚了来自不同国家和地区的众多年轻人。”

The atmosphere at the stadium reached a climax when the flame of the Chengdu games at the torch tower outside the stadium was ignited by fireworks set off by 31 torch bearers headed by Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu, one of China's Shenzhou XIII astronauts.

中国神舟十三号宇航员叶光富领衔31名火炬手，共同点燃了体育场外的火炬塔，烟火喷薄而起，体育场内的气氛达到了高潮。

Eder said in an interview with China Daily on Thursday that the World University Games continue to be highly regarded as a competitive international and multisport event.

在7月27日接受《中国日报》采访时，艾德表示，世界大学生运动会将继续受到高度评价，成为备受关注的国际性综合体育赛事。

Not only does the event enable current elite and emerging athletes to compete against the best in their sport, but it also provides a platform from which many student-athletes launch their international careers, Eder said.

艾德表示，这项赛事不仅让现役的顶尖运动员和新秀与自己所在项目的最佳选手竞争，还为许多学生运动员提供了一个平台，开启他们的国际职业生涯。

But competition is not everything at the Chengdu games because the event can also help young people from all over the world learn about different cultures and boost understanding, especially about China, he added.

艾德补充说，在成都运动会上，竞争并不是唯一的目标，这个赛事还可以帮助来自世界各地的年轻人了解不同的文化，增进相互理解，尤其是对中国的了解。

"I'm pretty sure that the majority of the students here have never been to China before. What they have learned about China in the Western media is one thing, but to come here to see Chengdu and feel the hospitality of the people will be something else," Eder said.

艾德尔说：“我相信大多数学生在这里之前都没有来过中国。他们在西方媒体上对中国的了解是一回事，但来到这里亲身感受成都的热情好客将是另一番体验。”

He added that besides doing their best, he hopes the student-athletes can take the opportunity to meet other students from all over the world and make new friends, which is as important as competing.

他补充说，除了尽力竞争，他希望学生运动员能借此机会结识来自世界各地的其他学生，结交新朋友，这和比赛一样重要。

The Chengdu games offer student-athletes great opportunities to meet others from different countries who have the same goal, which combines top-notch sports performance with intellectual pursuits, said Syed Ibadullah Ayaz, a taekwondo athlete from Australia.

来自澳大利亚的跆拳道运动员Syed Ibadullah Ayaz表示，成都世界大学生运动会为学生运动员提供了与来自不同国家、有着相同目标的人见面的绝佳机会，这将顶尖体育表现与智力追求相结合。

"I've watched many opening ceremonies of international sporting events on TV since I was a child. And now I've got to experience it myself. I'm looking forward to all the different cultures that are going to be represented there," Ayaz said ahead of the opening ceremony.

Ayaz在开幕式前表示：“自从我还是个孩子的时候，我就在电视上观看过很多国际体育赛事的开幕式。现在我终于可以亲自经历了。我期待着能在那里了解到来自不同文化的精彩表现。”

Furthermore, the organization of the Chengdu games and the facilities have impressed many officials and athletes.

此外，成都运动会的组织和设施也给许多官方人员和运动员留下了深刻印象。

Daniel Guerrero, head of the United States delegation, said it was wonderful to see the incredible preparations made by Chengdu, the local organizers and the FISU.

美国代表团团长丹尼尔·格雷罗表示，看到成都、当地组织者和国际大学生体育联合会所做的出色准备工作真是太棒了。

"What we have seen in Chengdu is extraordinary. I hope all the athletes could compete in a friendly environment, and get to know the cultures of different countries," Guerrero said.

“在成都所见到的真是非凡。我希望所有的运动员都能在友好的环境中竞争，并了解不同国家的文化，”格雷罗说道。

Jonathan Larsen, a coach of the German badminton team, expressed his pleasure at being in Chengdu.

德国羽毛球队教练乔纳森·拉森表示他很高兴来到成都。

"We've been welcomed very warmly, and the arena looks absolutely amazing, so we are looking forward to the Chengdu games," Larsen said.

“我们得到了非常热情的欢迎，体育馆看起来非常壮观，我们非常期待成都运动会。”乔纳森·拉森说道。

The Chengdu games were postponed from 2021 to this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FISU amended the registration rules to ensure that university students did not lose their eligibility due to the postponement. Consequently, student-athletes who met the qualifications in 2021 are still eligible to participate in the Chengdu games.

因为新冠疫情的原因，成都运动会原计划在2021年举行，但被推迟至今年举办。国际大学生体育联合会（FISU）修改了注册规则，以确保学生运动员由于延期不会失去参赛资格。因此，那些在2021年符合资格的学生运动员仍有资格参加成都运动会。

On the sidelines of the event, the organizers have arranged a series of cultural activities for the participants, such as observing giant pandas and enjoying Sichuan Opera, to highlight the host city's unique features.

在赛事期间，组织者还为参与者安排了一系列文化活动，例如参观大熊猫和欣赏四川京剧，以突显主办城市独特的特色。

Friendship

英/ˈfrendʃɪp/美/ˈfrendʃɪp/

n.友谊，朋友关系

Arena

英/əˈriːnə/美/əˈriːnə/

n.竞技场

Reporter: Cui Jia in Chengdu 

Intern:Zang Tianyi