The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen won the right to host the
2011 XXVI World University Games, the International University
Sports Federation (FISU) announced Tuesday in Turin, Italy.
Shenzhen beat out the other four candidates - Kaohsiung of
Chinese Taipei, Poznan of Poland, Kazan of Russia and Murcia of
Spain, during an executive meeting of the FISU at the Teatro Regio
in Turin.
Xu Zongheng, major of Shenzhen and head of China's delegation,
cried with joy as FISU President George Killian announced the
result.
"To host the 2011 World Universiade is the wish of every single
Shenzhen citizen. The whole city is waiting for the result even
though it's midnight back in China," Xu said.
Shenzhen's local television gave a live broadcast of the meeting
when Killian announced the result.
"The Universiade will push the development of Shenzhen. I'm very
excited about the result," Xu added.
Shenzhen was not the favorite as several major international
competitions will be hosted in China over the next few years.
The women's soccer World Cup will be played in China and Beijing
will host the 2008 Olympic Games.
Harbin in northeast China will stage the next version of the
World Winter Universiade in 2009 and the Asian Games will take
place in Guangzhou in 2010.
"I don't know how many votes Shenzhen won during the poll, but
the result is the wish of the 22 executive members of FISU," said
Killian. "Shenzhen is a new city of only 26 years old. They have
done fantastic work and have a good plan. We have confidence that
they will host a successful Universiade)."
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2007)