28th Summer Universiade opens in Full Splendour

GWANGJU – Today, 3 July, the 28^th Summer Universiade kicked-off a 12-day period of university sport extravaganza with a spectacular Opening Ceremony.

‘The Black Eagles’, the Korean Air Force jets roared in ‘Flying V’-formation cutting through the air above Gwangju World Cup Stadium to set the celebration of the Opening Ceremony of the 28^th Summer Universiade in motion. A number of exhilarating opening performances while awaiting the arrival of the VVIPS heated up the crowd to boiling point. A mixture of traditional Korean music and dances and contrasting modern dubstep beats and K-pop bands were very much appreciated by the many Korean youth attending as volunteers.

The Korean delegation parades

Once the Korean flag entered the World Cup stadium and was raised while the national anthem played, the ‘real show’ started. Themes like ‘Light, The Birth of Youth’, ‘The Fetal Movement’ and ‘Encounter & Harmony’ brought colourful performances to the stage equipped with a huge ‘U’-shaped centrepiece displaying images symbolizing Korea’s traditions while modern youth subculture was never far away.

Gwangju is known as ‘The City of Light’ and it showed. The whole ceremony was a colourful sound and light show. As always, the long marching pass of the athletes was one of the most anticipated highlights that culminated in the opening speeches of both Co-Presidents of the Organising Committee, Yoon Janghyun and Kim Hwangsik, and the FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien.

FISU President Gallien

“Dream big!”, was the advice Mr. Gallien had for the 12,000 participants. “There should be no limit to your ambition! During this Universiade, let us be ambitious together because, when competing together, and not against each other, we can achieve true victory. True victory is not defeating opponents. The only true victory is conquering yourself, and, in a competition, others are there to help you do so.”

President of the Republic of Korea, Her Excellency Madam Park Geun-hye

He then invited the President of the Republic of Korea, Her Excellency Madam Park Geun-hye, to open the Games. Then the FISU Flag entered the stadium and was raised while FISU’s Anthem ‘Gaudeamus Igitur’ played.

More cultural performances followed, from opera singers to the most popular boys’ bands in Korea. Four-dimensional projections and mindboggling pyrotechnics made this opening ceremony one to remember.

Park Chan-ho & Yang Hak-seon

‘Moment surprème’ off course was the arrival of the Universiade Torch Relay. Baseball icon Park Chan-ho, the first Korean to play in the Major League Baseball (MLB) and medallist of the 1993 Summer Universiade in Buffalo, and Olympic gymnastics champion Yang Hak-seon lit the Universiade cauldron. Identities of the final bearers were kept under wraps until the last minute. The Universiade Flame will be ablaze until 14 July. The Games can start!

 The FISU Flame is ablaze

C. Pierre, Press Officer