A GROUP of students from Shenzhen Polytechnic who led spectators in applause at the opening ceremony of the Universiade were popular on the Internet.
During the nearly three-hour ceremony, the students were tasked to lift the mood of the audience as cheerleaders.
A video clip on the Internet showed the cheer leaders couldn’t even take a glimpse of the performances even though it was only a stone’s throw away.
‘I’m not cheering alone’
Cheerleader Li Dong
I was in the media zone area. I wasn’t discouraged though the reporters were busy writing stories and taking photos and had no time to join me to cheer.
I followed the arrangements of directors to cheer at designated times and it inspired an Italian journalist who later became more crazy than me.
The announcement of the official opening and the lighting of the flame were the most exciting times in my life.
I’m not alone, another 163 cheerleaders also did a great job.
‘Spectators were cooperative’
Cheer leader Yan Qiu
From warm-up at 6:55 p.m. to the end of ceremony at 10:40 p.m., I kept cheering nonstop.
The spectators were supportive and occasionally fanned me.
At the beginning, the audience didn’t know what I was doing. But gradually, they followed my signs. I didn’t know what was going on at the time because we were facing the spectators. Only when they stood up and waved the flag, I learned the Chinese team had entered the field.
(Richard Han)
