A representative of Karlsruhe, Germany waves the International World Games Association flag at the closing ceremony of the 12th World Games in Chengdu, Sichuan province, marking the handover for hosting the 13th edition of the games in 2029. XIE JIANFEI / XINHUA
With the extinguishing of the main torch, the 12th World Games drew to a close in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Sunday night, drawing widespread acclaim as participants and spectators alike left with fond memories.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Jose Perurena, president of the International World Games Association, extended his gratitude to all parties involved in hosting the Chengdu games for their contribution.
"With warm hospitality, remarkable efficiency and the impeccable delivery of these games, Chengdu has set new standards for the future," he said.
Shi Xiaolin, president of the games' organizing committee and governor of Sichuan, said, "Chengdu makes dreams come true," adding that she looks forward to welcoming more friends back to the splendid and leisurely land of Sichuan to experience its natural beauty, diverse culture and its development in the new era.
Held at the Chengdu International Friendship Pavilion in the Chengdu World Horticultural Expo Park, the closing ceremony embodied the spirit of "promoting global solidarity" and highlighted Chengdu's unique charm as a "park city".
The World Games, held every four years, is the highest-level international multisport event that mainly features non-Olympic sports.
One of the most significant achievements of the Chengdu games was the integration of traditional Chinese sports such as dragon boat and wushu into the competition schedule, said Perurena, the IWGA president, at a press conference earlier on Sunday.
"These sports carry a profound cultural heritage and are a source of great pride for China," he said, adding that dragon boat and wushu will remain part of the World Games program.
Hailing the high standard of excellence in the games' organization, Tom Dielen, vice-president of IWGA, said the first-ever torch relay and the magnificent opening ceremony were truly milestone moments that have set a new benchmark.
"From the moment we arrived, we experienced not only impeccable organization and smooth operations but also a unique Chinese warmth and hospitality," he said.
Dielen emphasized that the games' legacy will continue to inspire future generations as the IWGA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chengdu Sport University to jointly establish a center for sports research and promotion.
This landmark initiative aims to advance non-Olympic sports in China and globally, he added.
At the closing ceremony, the IWGA flag was handed to a representative of Karlsruhe, Germany, which will host the 13th World Games in 2029.
The 11-day Chengdu games drew a record 3,942 athletes from 116 countries and regions to compete in 256 events across 34 sports, including floorball, flying disc and air sports.
A total of 18 world records were set in the games as of Saturday. China made history by topping the medal tally with 36 golds, 17 silvers and 11 bronzes.
"Amazing" and "magnificent" were among the words that athletes and officials from around the world used the most to describe their experiences during the Chengdu games.
"I am blown away," said Gisella Bonomi, an athlete from the gold-winning Argentine women's beach handball team. "The event is more than successful. It's magnificent!"
"Chengdu's technology, culture and way of living are inspiring," Bonomi said, adding that she felt like a little girl going through an adventure park.
Sydney Martin, a gold medalist from the United States cheerleading pom doubles team, said she and her teammates had a memorable experience visiting giant pandas and exploring different parts of Chengdu.
"We took a boat cruise, ate hotpot and watched Sichuan Opera. These were all things we never expected before we came, and it was truly amazing," she said.
Meanwhile, many niche sports found new fans in China thanks to the Chengdu games.
Alexander Kallai, a representative of the International Casting Sport Federation, said his federation's promotion in Chengdu during the games attracted local residents across all age groups.
"Casting has much in common with recreational angling, and given China's massive angling community, we see tremendous potential for its growth here," he said.
Ran Jiaqing, a student at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China and a volunteer at the games, said he tried all the niche sports at The World Games Plaza during breaks.
"The games have ignited my and my schoolmates' passion for niche sports," he said.
Xu Xingguo, executive vice-president and secretary-general of the games executive committee and vice-mayor of Chengdu, said that while preparing for The World Games, the city launched experience programs for the featured sports in over 1,000 communities.
Chengdu has also incorporated sports such as flag football and breaking into the curricula of 130 local schools, reaching more than 50,000 students, Xu said.
The proportion of Chengdu citizens participating in emerging trendy sports has reached 18 percent, he added.
今年春节假期琼州海峡客滚运输量较去年大幅增长 中新网广州2月19日电 (郭军 喻志专 赵卓)据交通运输部珠江航务管理局(简称“珠航局”)消息：2024年春节假期期间(2月10日至17日，正月初一至初八)，琼州海峡省际客滚 国家移民管理局：春节假期1351.7万人次出入境 同比增长2.8倍 中新网2月18日电 据国家移民管理局微信公众号消息，2024年春节假期全国边检机关共保障1351.7万人次中外人员出入境，日均169万人次，较2023年春节同期增长2 新华社记者戴小河与年前寒潮相比，龙年的第一轮寒潮降温幅度更大、低温持续时间更长、冻雨影响范围更广、南方降雨更强。多地气温“俯冲式”下跌，供暖供电需求攀升。煤、电、气等能源行业积极应对，全天候 mRNA巨头莫德纳上季度净利暴跌85%，流感+新冠组合疫苗最快明年上市 新冠疫苗依然在影响mRNA巨头公司莫德纳的业绩，但该公司正在寻找其他增长点。 当地时间2月22日，美国疫苗公司莫德纳(Moderna，MRNA)公布2023年第 加强知识产权法治保障 推动发展新质生产力 国务院新闻办公室22日举行新闻发布会，介绍国家层面知识产权案件上诉审理机制运行有关情况。截至2023年12月31日，最高人民法院知识产权法庭共受理案件18924件，审结15710 自然资源部：22个省级国土空间规划已获批准实施 中新社北京2月22日电 (记者 庞无忌)中国正加速推进各级国土空间规划编制实施。 中国自然资源部22日透露，截至目前，所有省级和新疆生产建设兵团国土空间规划均已 。本文链接：Chengdu World Games concludes amid wide acclaimhttp://www.sushuapos.com/show-5-65464-0.html
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