At the crack of the starting pistol, runners surged forward. With every baton handoff, individual runs became one shared pursuit. The long rope rose and fell; tug-of-war teams strained against one another. Behind every piece of teamwork on the field was nothing less than mutual trust.
Seven teams took to the field, representing Siming College, the Graduate School, the College of Science, the College of Engineering, the College of Information Science and Technology, the Administration, and the Affiliated Units. Through running, jumping, throwing, and competing together, EITans wrote the first chapter in EIT's sporting history.
At the opening ceremony, Prof. Shiyi Chen, President of EIT and Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered an address. He noted that the inaugural campus sports meet is the university's first university-wide sports event—a stage on which faculty and students can showcase their youthful energy and test their skills, and a vivid reflection of EIT's campus culture and of how its students learn and grow.
President Shiyi Chen delivers address
He emphasized that sport is a cornerstone of education and of a well-rounded character, and that the university will keep working to make the one hour of exercise every day initiative a tangible, lasting habit. To build a high-level university and move toward world-class standing, EIT must not only scale the heights of research and teaching but also strengthen the role of sport in whole-person education—helping students develop intellectually, physically, and mentally, and grow into outstanding individuals ready to take on the mission of their era.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Mr. Bo Jin, Party Secretary of EIT, and attended by all university leaders.
Mr. Bo Jin hosts the ceremony
Mr. Fei Han from the Sports Center took a solemn oath on behalf of the referees, while Yuxuan Yang, a 2025 undergraduate, took the oath on behalf of the athletes, pledging to compete in the spirit of fair play and with the utmost professionalism.
The national flag guard marched in bearing the flag, followed closely by a contingent of students carrying flowers. The seven teams paraded in crisp, disciplined formations, their steps firm and their ranks precise; faculty and students stood tall, eyes bright, full of youthful energy. Robots and robot dogs joined the procession as well, lending the parade a touch of EIT's signature tech flair. A swift, sharp fencing demonstration and a flowing, composed tai chi performance followed in turn—two displays that captured the poise and spirit of EIT.
On the Field: Every Start Is Worth Remembering
Then men's 100-meter final
On the track, the start, the acceleration, and the sprint packed speed and strength into a few explosive seconds; in the field events, the approach, takeoff, and throw saw athletes push their limits again and again.
The men's 100 meters and 200 meters are always the marquee events of the track, and this time Lin Lan of the Graduate School team took both titles, clocking 12.10 seconds and 24.85 seconds. His teammate Zhilong Hong claimed the 400 meters and 1,500 meters crowns in 54.65 seconds and 4:41.91.
But the spotlight wasn't reserved for the champions alone. Some pushed hard to win, while others took pride simply in finishing what they had started. Some went after personal bests; others grew steadier with every attempt. The scoreboard tells only part of the story—those moments of quiet persistence deserve to be remembered just as much.
From the sprint of the 100 and 200 meters to the endurance tests of the 800 and 1,500 meters, and on to individual events such as the high jump, long jump, and shot put, every event gave its own account of what it means to give it everything.
Side by Side: When the Competition Is No Longer About One Person
If individual events put speed, strength, and stamina on display, the team events tested something else: trust and the unspoken understanding between teammates.
In the 4×100-meter relay, the baton moved from runner to runner, each handoff linking one athlete's all-out effort to the next's drive to push ahead.
At the tug-of-war, every hand gripped the rope as the whole team leaned back and pulled as one. In the footboard sprint, the team moved in a single rhythm, each step landing in unison. As the long rope rose and fell, teammates timed their jumps and matched each other's movements.
At times, what shaped the outcome was not any one person's strength but whether everyone could pull in the same direction. Some sprinted out front while others drove them on from behind; some gave everything on the field while others cheered from the sidelines.
When the baton reached the finish line and a team had given its all for a shared goal, the meaning of sport stretched beyond individual challenge into something collective.
Meeting on the Same Field: Seeing One Another Across Campus
What makes a campus sports meet special is that it brings together people who spend their days in different corners of the university and places them on the same field.
Faculty, students, and staff from the residential college, the colleges, the administration, and the affiliated units led very different daily lives—studying, conducting research, and working—yet on this day they shared the same roles: athletes, teammates, rivals, and supporters.
The bonding power of team events was nowhere more evident than in the tug-of-war. The College of Science team fought its way into the final and ultimately took first place. Center of gravity low, their grips tight on the rope, they heaved in unison—bringing the collaborative habits of their research work straight onto the field. Every gain and every hold in the stalemate was met with the rhythmic cheers of the crowd, turning a contest of strength into a living example of cooperation across ages and roles.
Beyond the camera's frame, staff and volunteers worked to keep the meet running, providing the services and organizational support that allowed every event to unfold smoothly.
Different roles and different identities came together in one shared sense of participation. Running side by side, sharing a timely word of encouragement, and shaking hands after a race—each gave people scattered across the campus another chance to understand one another.
Campus culture takes shape in classrooms and laboratories, in everyday work—and in shared experiences like this one.
Today's results will be recorded, and today's images treasured. One day, when the starting gun fires again on campus, this is where minds will return: the first baton handoff, the first challenge met together, and the first sports meet that belonged to everyone. The inaugural edition already stands as a record in its own right.
The closing ceremony was hosted by Prof. Zhongchao Tan, Vice President of EIT. Prof. Dongxiao Zhang, Executive Vice President and Provost, declared the meet closed. He said the first sports meet leaves behind vivid memories of competition, teamwork, and mutual support, and he encouraged faculty and students to carry the spirit of sport forward, keep exercising day to day, and pursue their long-term goals with strength and vitality—contributing to the building of a high-level research university.
The sports meet was organized under the overall coordination of the Sports Meet Organizing Committee, with departments working together on event organization, venue support, and logistics to ensure the games ran smoothly and in good order.
The award ceremony at the closing ceremony
