TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The World University Games launched with vibrant pageantry in Duisburg on Wednesday (July 16). Taiwan's athletes proudly marched in Team TPE's crisp white uniforms, embodying collective determination and national pride. The international sporting competition represents Germany's first time hosting the prestigious collegiate games since the country's 1990 reunification. Five cities — Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mülheim, and Hagen — share organizational duties, while the capital Berlin specifically hosts swimming and volleyball competitions.
The WDR Funkhausorchester, a renowned German orchestra, provided stirring musical accompaniment as the ceremony commenced, while athletes enthusiastically chanted "Alle spielen mit!" (Everyone plays together!) in their native languages, underscoring sports' ability to transcend cultural boundaries. Hendrik Wüst, North Rhine-Westphalia's governor, delivered an impassioned address emphasizing athletics as a powerful unifying force and expressed hopes that participants would forge enduring memories during their time in Germany. The audience visibly responded to a choir's emotional performance of "Das Steigerlied," a traditional miners' song honoring the region's rich labor and industrial heritage.
Fencer Chen Yi-tung (陳弈通) and tennis player Eva Yang proudly carried Taiwan's banner as the delegation's designated flag bearers. The pair marched into the venue according to alphabetical protocol while showcasing the team's energy and competitive spirit. The Chinese Taipei contingent brings approximately 200 athletes to the competition. They seek to build upon their impressive eighth-place finish in the overall medal standings at the previous World University Games held in Chengdu during 2023.
Leonz Eder, serving as president of the World University Games, delivered a hopeful message expressing faith in young athletes' capacity to create positive global change through sporting excellence, even amid international tensions and conflicts. German Labor Minister Bärbel Bas brought the ceremony to its official conclusion by formally declaring the Games open to enthusiastic applause. The celebration culminated with a powerful visual statement as white doves and hundreds of colorful balloons, representing peace and international harmony, soared into the evening sky above the stadium. ◼