KRASNOYARSK, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The 29th Winter Universiade was announced open in Russian city Krasnoyarsk on Saturday.
The 2019 version of the biannual winter sports gala attracts more than 1700 university student-athletes from all over the world to the Siberian city in Russia. The 11-day Games will feature 11 sports including Alpine Skiing, Bandy, Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Short Track Speed Skating, Ski Orienteering and Snowboard. Bandy, a traditional ice-hockey like sports in Russia, became a competition event in Universiade for the first time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared open of the event during the Opening Ceremony.
IOC President Thomas Bach delivered a video message. "Who knows? This Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade might just set you on your path to the Olympics," Bach said in the video.
FISU President Oleg Matytsin wishes athletes luck and call for them to become leaders of tomorrow.
Athletes from 58 countries and regions registered to compete for as many as 76 gold medals on offer. The hosts Russia field 295 athletes, most among all the delegations, trying defend their top position on the medal table which they got two years ago in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
China send 86 athletes to compete in eight of the total 11 events. Snow boarder Yang Shiqi from Peking University bear the flag for China at the ceremony.
"At its very minimum, the Winter Universiade is a springboard to elite sports," said 2002 Olympic champion Alexei Yagudin to FISU. "As a father of two young daughters, I know what sports can mean for their future. For them, it's so important to take part in events like this."
The competitions had already started one day before the Opening Ceremony.
"Universiade is a big responsibility," said Maxim Burov, an athlete of Russia freestyle national team.
"It looks like the Olympics. The task is to achieve a better result. I have played in Krasnoyarsk once a long time ago and now it's much better here. Let the fans support us, it will be cool. Support is really important."
The event will close on March 12th.
