Harbin went wild on Monday the moment George Killian, president
of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), uttered
the name "Harbin" in Innsbruck, Austria.
The capital of Heilongjiang
Province won a landslide victory in its bid for the 24th Winter
Universiade in 2009, beating its rival Erzurum of Turkey.
"It's a great success, as well as a huge opportunity for Harbin,
one of the largest cities in northeast China with a population of
nearly 10 million," said Shi Zhongxin, the mayor and vice president
of the bid committee.
The event will be the highest-level comprehensive sports
competition the city has hosted since the third Asian Winter Games
in 1996.
After losing its bid for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in August
2002, Harbin now hopes this new achievement will pave the way to a
successful tender for the 2014 event.
"Hosting the Winter Universiade is necessary for bidding for the
Winter Olympic Games again," said Zhao Yinggang, director of the
Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau. "It will be a bonus in
helping develop winter sports in China, and the experience of
organizing such an international sports event will be valuable for
future preparations."
According to Zhao, after losing the Olympic bid, the provincial
sports and education bureaus decided to bid for the Universiade in
order to help prepare for a new attempt.
Winning the bid will not only bring benefits to the city, but
also a new opportunity to promote winter sports.
"The hosting rights mean chances to motivate coaches and
athletes," said Li Ming, chief of Heilongjiang's provincial Ice
Sports Training Center. "The Universiade will offer us a wide
stage."
National sports officials agree: "The hosting of the Universiade
will certainly boost winter sports among university students in
China," said Wang Yitao, director of the National Winter Sports
Administrative Center.
?
"We will try to stage a Winter Universiade that is the best in
history, with the largest participation and the highest-level of
organization," said Cheng Youdong, vice governor of the
province.
A detailed plan to revamp and upgrade existing sports facilities
and venues has been mapped out; the current four stadiums and five
training centers in the city are expected to meet overall FISU
requirements.
The largest ski center, the Yabuli ski site in the city's
suburbs, where most of the competitions may be held, will be
renovated. Its slopes will be extended and more buildings and
houses built to increase capacity.
The bid committee submitted a financial guarantee to the FISU
and the city has vowed to give full financial support to the
event's preparations.
An estimated US$1.3 billion will be invested for infrastructure
construction and renovation, and another US$20 million will be
allotted for organizing the event, reports Heilongjiang
Daily.
The FISU announced at the same time yesterday that Belgrade,
capital of Serbia and Montenegro, will host the 25th Summer
Universiade in 2009.
The 2005 Winter Universiade started today in Innsbruck and runs
until January 22.
(China Daily January 12, 2005)