Oliveira Morais Carlos (R) and Djedjo Baiane Ivanesia train in the Chengdu Universiade Village. (Xinhua/Huang Yaoman)
Competing at the Universiade for the first time, Cape Verde athletes are having an unforgettable and warm stay in Chengdu.
CHENGDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- With three layovers and 25 hours in flight, spanning over 12,000km, China seemed extremely distant in the mind of sprinter Oliveira Morais Carlos from Cape Verde. However, upon arriving in China, he feels a close connection to the country.
This 20-year-old young man traveled thousands of miles to Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, aiming to make history for both his country and himself.
Representing the North Atlantic country, Carlos, alongside his classmate Djedjo Baiane Ivanesia and teacher Heritson, participates in the 31st FISU World University Games in Chengdu, which officially opened on July 28. This marks the first time that Cape Verde has taken part in the Universiade. Carlos and Ivanesia will be competing in athletics.
Before coming to China, Carlos and Ivanesia trained on a campus and in a stadium built by China. "The training conditions in the past were poor. However, things changed after I got into the University of Cape Verde, where China helped build the new campus with a stadium," Carlos explained.
"The history we are making for our country fills our people with pride," said their teacher, Heritson. He also expressed how training in a place built by China and making history in the country made him feel a close connection to the Orient.
Oliveira Morais Carlos gets a taste of Chinese traditional paper cutting in the Village. (Photo courtesy of Oliveira Morais Carlos)
Moreover, Chengdu, a vibrant mega-city, has left a deep impression on them in the past few days. Ivanesia shared, "I saw a lot about China on TV, but seeing everything with my own eyes is different and more beautiful. Chengdu is amazing. Everything is organized and wonderful, including the facilities and environment. The most impressive thing is that people here are very professional and kind." She also expressed her desire to stay and study more in Chengdu, even having learned some Mandarin from her new Chinese friend.
The Universiade Village, where they currently reside, has a striking resemblance to the University of Cape Verde, making them feel at home and close to their hearts.
"Everything here feels unforgettable. I appreciate Chengdu for giving us the opportunity to be known worldwide," said Heritson.
The Chengdu Universiade has attracted 6,500 student-athletes from 113 countries and regions, competing in 269 events across 18 sports. ■
