The atmosphere at the stadium reached a climax when the flame of the Chengdu games at the torch tower outside the stadium was ignited by fireworks set off by 31 torch bearers headed by Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu, one of China's Shenzhou XIII astronauts.

Eder said in an interview with China Daily on Thursday that the World University Games continue to be highly regarded as a competitive international and multisport event.

Not only does the event enable current elite and emerging athletes to compete against the best in their sport, but it also provides a platform from which many student-athletes launch their international careers, Eder said.

But competition is not everything at the Chengdu games because the event can also help young people from all over the world learn about different cultures and boost understanding, especially about China, he added.

"I'm pretty sure that the majority of the students here have never been to China before. What they have learned about China in the Western media is one thing, but to come here to see Chengdu and feel the hospitality of the people will be something else," Eder said.