October 26th, HNUST held the 2018 sports meeting, with laughter prevailing on campus and colored banners fluttering in the First Athlete Field. Presided by Vice President Hu Shiqi, thousands of people attended the opening ceremony, including President Li Bochao, Zhu Chuanqu, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee, Liu Youjin, Shi Shiliang and Liao Xiangyue. Besides, leaders of administrative branches, schools, and subordinate units as well as representatives of teachers and students also attended the ceremony.
President Li Bochao, on behalf of HNUST, extended his warm congratulations to the successful opening of the meeting. He stated that life lies in movement and vigorous development of sports is conducive to enhancing students’ spiritual quality, such as competing and climbing the peak. He hoped that all athletes could carry forward sportsmanship with the spirit of “faster, higher, and stronger” and make achievements in both games and spiritual civilization; all referees could fulfill duties and impartially judge; all spectators could be enthusiastic and watch the games in a civilized manner.
With slogans shouted loudly and steps marched orderly, parade show of all school teams and representatives of teaching staff team began. The parade matrix of the School of Electromechanical Engineering was led by the formula racing team. Walking in vigorous strides with their heads held high, students from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in red coats arranged as two chemical elements symbols of “Cu” and “Zn”. Students from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning walked in steady pace and shouted powerful slogans in high spirits. Furthermore, students from the School of Business held high the “Striving for first-level disciplines and demonstrating the profiles of the School of Business” billboard, with a strong pace to demonstrate their self-confidence and a bright slogan to exhibit their strength. Next, the imposing team of the International Education College consisting of 116 overseas students was full of vigor and vitality.
After the parade show, Flag Guarding Team walked in clanging pace with the National Flag carefully held in their hands, and then the solemn flag-raising ceremony began. In the sports field, the flower team, comprised of four schools, made joint effort to pose for the Olympic Rings holding bouquets.
Along with the spectators’ acclamation, the performances of opening ceremony finally came. The different styles of dance given by a team comprising nearly 220 teachers and students from the School of Arts won warm applauses and also fully highlighted people’s vitality. The mass gymnastics, performed by the School of Business, displayed the formation of Five Interlocked Rings, HNUST and so on. The last one is the program vividly performed by the dragon and lion team. Six dragons came into the field under the guidance of the dragon ball, followed by six lions. After displaying the magnificent image of “Five Interlocked Stars”, “Love” and other models, the ceremony came to an end with “Zhong, Guo, Long” three words. (means Chinese dragon)
Finally, the representatives of referee and athlete took a solemn oath, and President of HNUST declared that the sports meeting was opening.
It was reported that 1215 athletes from different schools would compete in 15 student' events and 4 interesting games for the staff in the following two and a half days.
(Translated by Li Fei, Song Dan)
