Strong team going to World University Summer Games

5th August 2011

University Sport sending strong team to World University Summer Games

NZ will be well represented at this years World University Summer games in Shenzhen, China opening on 12 August. The games are the world’s second largest sporting event (competitor number wise) outside of the Olympic Games.

“With over 50 students from around New Zealand’s Universities attending the event in China, it’s a good team and we are looking forward to the event and the results”, says Alayna Carter, Executive Director at University Sport New Zealand.

Organizers are planning for the arrival of approx 10,000 athletes from 180 countries at this year’s event in the southern Chinese city. Shenzhen is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and has seen its population rise from 150,000 to 18million in just 30 years.

With the World Swimming championships in Shanghai, China 1 week prior, many of our NZ swimming squad will be part of the 80 strong NZ Team and will be using this as a qualifying opportunity for London 2012. The women’s 400x200m relay team has recently qualified for London and several NZ records were broken at the meet.

Li Chunli, silver medallist in Table Tennis at the Melbourne commonwealth games and two time Olympian, manages the eight strong table tennis team. Table Tennis promises to be an incredibly tough competition.

Chef de Mission, Martin Macdonald believes these games are a crucial part of the development of many NZ athletes looking to progress through to Olympic and World Championship level. “This was clearly highlighted two years ago when in Belgrade, Serbia at the last World University Summer Games, NZ won four medals in athletics and three of those athletes went on to win medals at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010”.

Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Diving, Gymnastics, Swimming and Table Tennis make up the total NZ team, says Alayna Carter.

University Sport New Zealand is a not for profit organisation based in Wellington, for more information visit our website for news and updates at www.universitysport.org.nz

ENDS

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