The organizers of the Gwangju Summer Universiade will mark 100 days until the games on Wednesday with various promotional events in Seoul and Gwangju.
The event will be held from July 3 to 14, during which some 20,000 staff and student athletes from 170 nations will compete in 21 sports.
As part of the efforts to raise awareness for the upcoming games, a nationwide promotion tour will be launched at Gwangju City Hall. The promotion team will tour nine major cities around the country including Seoul, Busan and Daegu in the run-up to the games.
Also on Wednesday, a 10-meter structure promoting the games will be set up outside Seoul City Hall. The structure will stand until the end of the games.
In addition, a fashion show of uniforms that will be used during the Gwangju Universiade will be held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. At the event, 84 items of clothing ― sportswear and formal attire ― will be showcased, the organizing committee said.
The show will be attended by ambassadors from participating countries as well as politicians and government officials.
According to the organizing committee, the Gwangju Universiade is an “ecoversiade” achieved by minimizing new constructions.
The organizing committee said that of the 70 facilities to be used during the games, only three are newly constructed while the remainder were prepared by updating existing facilities.
“The aim of the Gwangju Universiade is to be a low-cost, high-efficiency event that is economically and environmentally friendly,” the organizing committee said in a statement.
The organizing committee also plans to hold test events to ensure that the new and updated facilities can function fully during the main competition.
From April 27 to June 30, 13 competitions for 16 sports will be held at the facilities prepared for the Gwangju Universiade, the organizing committee said.
As the opening date for the games approaches, the heads of the delegations participating in the games will gather in Gwangju from April 11 for a five-day review of the preparations.
The delegations will also participate in the draw for groups for the six team sports included in the Gwangju games ― basketball, baseball, handball, soccer, volleyball and water polo ― on April 13.
“As there are 100 days left until the games, (the organizing committee) requests support and interest (from the public),” organizing committee secretary-general Kim Yoon-suk said.
“Stringent preparations will be made in the remaining time to ensure that the games are held successfully.”
By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
