ATHENS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Greek athletes eagerly await the commencement of the Chengdu Universiade.
Greece has declared a 34-member delegation for the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Summer World University Games, scheduled to take place in China. The participants will compete in artistic gymnastics, swimming, water polo, athletics, and archery.
Following the delegation's formation, both athletes and officials expressed their enthusiasm for the Games set to run from July 28 to August 8 in Chengdu, Western China.
Ioanna Sacha, a 24-year-old postgraduate psychology student, is thrilled to travel to China and partake in the swimming events. For Sacha, the Chengdu Universiade signifies a return to normalcy post-pandemic.
"I would like to see good performances, timings, and races," she told Xinhua.
Lida Nanou, a student of Applied Mathematics at the National Technical University of Athens and an archer, views her upcoming trip to Chengdu as a cherished experience.
"We have expectations; we will do our best as a team. It's great that the Universiades are back. We are going to meet athletes from all around the world. I find this experience very valuable in our journey as athletes," she said.
For Dimitrios Konstantinos Drakiotis, a 21-year-old Business Administration student, the Games hold significant importance.
"The Summer World University Games in Chengdu is like the Olympic Games for students," Drakiotis, from the University of Piraeus and an archer, explained to Xinhua.
As this is his maiden voyage to another continent and first time in a global competition, he emphasized that it's an opportunity for students to engage more in sports.
"We hope that our team will deliver a strong performance in the Games, and our athletes will excel. The global Universiade is a significant sporting event. Considering the number of participants, it ranks as the second-largest competition after the Olympic Games," Dimitris Kereres, director of Physical Education at the Greek Ministry of Education, told Xinhua.
Kereres underscored that all parties, including the Ministry of Education, sports federations, and the Chinese Embassy in Athens, contributed to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Colton Herta shows speed as Honda fights back in penultimate Indy 500 practice session
U.S. urged to stop sending wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces
Tourism event brings 5,000 exhibitors to Shanghai
China's Communist Youth League Starts National Congress
Trump or Biden? Either way, US seems poised to preserve heavy tariffs on imports
The young and old in Suzhou enjoyed the Double Ninth Festival together in autumn outings
Xi Sends Congratulatory Letter to 15th Straits Forum
During the 2023 National Day and Mid
I'm a cruise ship worker...these are the FIVE things smart passengers always do onboard
Kazakhstan tourism year in China launched in Beijing
Sale continues dominant run as Braves beat Padres 3
Chinese sightseers flock to Tianshui as spicy hot pot goes viral