On the morning of July 8, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., the torch relay of the 31st Chengdu World University Summer Games arrived at Sichuan Tourism University in Chengdu.

Yan Qipeng, the Chairman of University Council, announced the start of the torch relay. Amidst enthusiastic cheers, Zhang Wanli, a student from our School of Sports and Leisure, took over the torch as the 63rd torchbearer and embarked on the first step of the relay at Sichuan Tourism University. The torch “Rong Huo” passed through various locations, including the Art Gallery, Culinary and Training Building, Recreation and Sports Center, Industry-Education Integration Building, Leisure and Food Culture Park, Academic Lecture Hall, and Library, before reaching the front square of the School Motto Stone, covering a total distance of 1.1 kilometers. A total of 28 torchbearers from different professions participated in the relay.

Zhang Wanli, the 63rd torchbearer, is a student from our School of Sports and Leisure, Class of 2020. He is a recipient of the National Inspirational Scholarship and has won the national orienteering championship titles in both long-distance (M21A-1) and middle-distance (M21A-1) categories. He expressed great pride in being a torchbearer for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games, emphasizing that the torch relay represents not just the torch itself but also a spirit of striving and the youthful attitude of giving their all on the field.

Liu Yanjun, the 81st torchbearer, is a teacher from our School of Foreign Languages and has been honored as the second batch of exemplary teachers and teaching stars at Sichuan Tourism University, as well as an outstanding Communist Party member. She felt a sense of warmth and significance when she held the torch, and amidst the enthusiastic cheers from her fellow students, she deeply felt that she was not only passing the torch but also conveying the youthful power and the spirit of pursuing dreams that are tirelessly fought for.

Liu Yong, the 90th torchbearer, is a professor from our School of Sports and Leisure and the Director of the Mountain Tourism Research Institute. He is an internationally renowned expert in mountain tourism and outdoor sports, an invited lecturer at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), one of the first batch of international standardization experts in the tourism industry appointed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and one of the first batch of sports industry experts appointed by the Sports Bureau of Sichuan Province. He expressed great honor in being a torchbearer. Sports have become the most important part of his life, helping him achieve many dreams and supporting his academic research. He hopes that through the FISU World University Games, young people can see a wider world and persevere in pursuing their dreams and scaling new heights.

Under the escort of Professor Liu Yong, the 90th torchbearer from our university, the “Rong Huo” successfully arrived at the venue of the torch extinguishing ceremony. The torch was handed over to the Torch Guard, and the Lion Dance Team of Sichuan Tourism University presented a splendid lion dance performance to cheer for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games.

In addition, at the final stop of today’s torch relay for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games, Chengdu University of Information Technology (Longquan Campus), Chen Lin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chengdu Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, as well as the Vice Chairman of the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games Executive Committee, exchanged gifts with Lu Yi, the President of our university.

Duan Lili, an outstanding teacher from our university, a national model worker, a recipient of the provincial March 8th Red Flag bearer award, and the provincial May 4th Medal, successfully completed the torch relay at this station as the 109th torchbearer. She described the feelings of being a torchbearer for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games with four key words: excitement, pride, sacredness, and transmission. As a university teacher, she passes on to her students the spirit of “faster, higher, farther” and hopes that they can apply this sporting spirit to their studies, life, and work.

It is reported that the torch relay for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games began on July 2nd and will continue until July 26th, with a relay taking place every five days, covering 20 universities in Chengdu. It will conclude when the final torchbearer arrives at the core venue of the 31st World University Summer Games, Dong’an Lake Sports Park. On July 28th, the Flame will ignite the main stadium torch tower at Dong’an Lake Sports Park, officially marking the beginning of the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games grand event.