Badminton Team Friendship Tournament Unites Overseas Students in Shanghai

Recently, the 8th Badminton Team Friendship Tournament of the Shanghai Overseas Students Association and the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the National Day of the Hongqiao Overseas University Alumni Association Alliance were held at the Changning Hongqiao Sports Park. The event was themed “Overseas World Badminton, Ningxia Together” and attracted 22 branch teams and more than 200 participants.

This event was held on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. With the purpose of “making friends through badminton, strengthening the body, enhancing friendship, and uniting people”, it demonstrated the spirit of daring to fight and strive for excellence among the returned overseas students in the new era through the traditional form of badminton.

At 9 am, the game officially began with the referee’s whistle. A player from one team smashed the ball at lightning speed, and the other player jumped up and saved the ball with a precise interception… On the court, the players of each team worked closely together, sometimes they quickly rotated positions, sometimes they tacitly suppressed their opponents in doubles, and every score attracted cheers from teammates and the audience.

This event adopted the latest “Badminton Competition Rules” approved by the Chinese Badminton Association. Each team had 6 to 9 members, and the three events of men’s singles, mixed doubles and men’s doubles were competed in a best-of-three system. The event was divided into two stages. In the first stage, 24 teams were drawn into 8 groups in a single round-robin group match.

“We invited Jiang Yongyi, the former coach of the national badminton team, to serve as the chief referee of this competition. We also provided professional doctors for the players, and Tongren Hospital provided emergency care. We hope that the young students of each branch will enhance friendship and exchanges in the competition, and look forward to organizing more exciting activities with Changning.” Jiang Jiecheng, vice president and secretary general of the Nordic branch of the Shanghai Western Returned Scholars Association, said.

Yu Bing, Vice President of Shanghai WRSA, and Wang Luoqing, Standing Committee Member of Changning District Committee, Director of United Front Work Department, and President of Changning Overseas Friendship Association, attended the opening ceremony. The event was hosted by Shanghai WRSA Youth Committee, Changning District People’s Government Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, and Changning District Sports Federation, and undertaken by Shanghai WRSA Nordic Branch, Shanghai WRSA Changning Branch, and Changning Overseas Friendship Association International Students Committee.