Source / Courtesy: China Daily

China’s coming out party continues with the latest installment of a major international sporting event. This time the dynamic new city of Shenzhen steps on to the world stage by hosting the 26th Summer Universiade. The Games is bringing much-needed infrastructure and building an identity for the city at the forefront China’s economic change. As the limelight falls on Shenzhen, get ready to smile with the ‘Happy U’ mascot for the opening ceremony at the ‘Spring Cocoon.

The Universiade, a blend of ‘University’ and ‘Olympiad,’ or the World Student Games is an international biennial university student sports meet (summer and winter) under the auspices of the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire International (FISU). First held in 1959, the Universiade includes thirteen compulsory sports and this Universiade is the largest ever with another eleven exhibition sports. The 24 sports Universiade include track and field, water sports, basketball, soccer, fencing, gymnastics, various martial arts, archery, shooting, weightlifting, cycling, table tennis, tennis, sailing, badminton, golf; volleyball and chess. In total, athletes from 118 countries will be competing for 306 gold medals.  Read more about the event:

Watch a slide show of the opening ceremony: