SPORTS> 24th Winter Universiade
24th Winter Universiade opens in Harbin
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-18 22:31

The main torch tower of the 24th World Winter Universiade is seen lit during the opening ceremony of the biennial event in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, February 18, 2009. [Xinhua] 

Luo Zhihuan, 69, is the first world champion in China, Xue Ruihong sets China's first world record in women's speed skating, and Yang Yang is sure to be remembered as the first Olympic champion when her double victories in Salt Lake City ended China's title drought in Winter Olympics in 2002.

Chinese athlete Wang Fei and referee Wang Shi'an made the universiade oath on behalf of all athletes and officials, vowing to keep the competition fair and clean.

The Wednesday's ceremony caps four years of hard work that has reshaped Harbin and made a seal on a possible first choice city in China to bid for even larger winter sports games in the future.

According to the organizers, a total of 3.1 billion yuan (some US$430 million) has been invested to build or upgrade the sport facilities.

Fifty-one sports and accommodating facilities for the biennial games have completed constructing and renovating by the end of November, 2008. Among them, skating rinks, skiing courses and transportation networks have all been upgraded.