Friendship the real winner in Chengdu

Swedish team raring to experience feel-good factor at University Games

STOCKHOLM — Apart from medals, student-athletes participating in the upcoming FISU World University Games will also bring home fond memories and new friendships from Chengdu, reckons Adam Stigborn, a member of the Swedish delegation.

While competition is healthy, it is not everything, according to Stigborn, the competition manager of the Swedish University Sports Federation. "I hope participants will find great joy in meeting Swedes who compete in other sports and athletes from all over the world," he said.

He added that the Swedish team has great expectations about the trip to Chengdu. "It is an incredibly awesome competition with so many sports and participants," said Stigborn.

The Chengdu World University Games will be Stigborn's second as a competition manager and his high hopes for this year's edition are based on his experiences during a preparatory trip to the city earlier this year.

"It was the first time I visited China and I left with many impressions. Firstly, the size of Chengdu — a city I hadn't heard of before — is impressive. I would have liked to have seen more of the greenery which is ever-present around Chengdu," he said.

Chengdu is also well-known for its spicy food, which is high on Stigborn's to-do list during his visit.

"Sichuan hot pot is something not to be missed during the weeks I'll spend in Chengdu!" he enthused.

The Swedish athletes will also have the opportunity to take part in organized tours to explore the sites and culture of the city.

"Very few of the student-athletes are there just for the competition days, and I hope they will have enough time to also discover the city and the local culture," Stigborn said.

In the months leading up to the World University Games, the student-athletes have been busy fine-tuning their technique, improving their stamina, and building up their strength in the hope of attaining the best competition results possible.

The Swedish University Sports Federation is sending 14 athletes, including five swimmers of whom Stigborn has high hopes of finishing with some medals.

"We usually bring home some medals from the World University Games, and more often than not it's from the swimming pool," Stigborn said.

The Swedish team also includes a diver, while the rest of the team will compete in track-and-field events. Like most of their fellow competitors, they are all top-notch athletes, which makes for very exciting competitions.

Before becoming a competition manager, Stigborn participated in the World University Games as a member of the Swedish ice hockey team, in 2013 and 2015.

Now, he hopes to help the Swedish team gain not just medals, but also good memories and new friendships in Chengdu.

Xinhua