Page 55 - aips-IV-23.indd

FISU
FISU heads into its 75th anniversary year after an exciting 2023
FEDERATIONS
With the calendar having now turned from 2023 to 2024, the Interna- tional University Sports Federation (FISU) looks ahead to what is expected to be an- other banner year for university sport, while looking back fondly at a year that saw the first post-pandemic FISU World University Games. 2024 will mark FISU’s 75th an- niversary. With 21 FISU World University Championships scheduled, as well as the Zagreb 2024 FISU World Forum in Croatia in August, it is set up to be a great year of celebration. The 21 FISU Championships on the schedule will be staged in 20 different countries and across four continents, with Costa Rica (Cycling), Colombia (Finswim- ming), and India (Shooting Sport) each all hosting their first.
These FISU Championships will come on the heels of two successful FISU Universi- ty World Cups (where teams represent their universities as opposed to their countries), held towards the end of 2023 in football and 3x3 basketball. The FISU Cup Football took place in October in Jinjiang, China with eight women’s and twelve men’s teams. The side from China’s own Beijing Normal University won gold on home soil in women’s action, while Brazil’s Paulista University won on penalties in the men’s final. November saw Doha, Qatar host 3x3 Basketball with ITES Monterrey of Mexico claiming women’s gold, and the top seeded Vytautas Magnus University of Lithuania standing atop the po- dium in men’s play.
FISU will also head into 2024 with Switzer- land’s Leonz Eder as President, following his unanimous election at the 38th FISU Gen- eral Assembly held in Geneva in November. He served as Acting President over the last three years but is now set to lead FISU, along with the newly elected Executive Committee, through to 2027.
Additionally at the General Assembly, FISU welcomed the Qatar Collegiate Sports Fed-
Anna Twardosz (POL) jumps in Women's Team Ski jumping at the 2023 FISU World University Games in Lake Placid, New York.
eration as its newest member federation.
“I am truly honoured to have the opportuni- ty to continue to guide the university sport community in the exciting times that lie ahead,” President Eder stated. “In the face of significant global challenges, FISU has in 2023 celebrated a full year of exciting univer- sity sport and two memorable FISU World University Games. As we approach our 75th anniversary, our movement remains as committed as ever to serving university students around the world, providing them with sporting opportunities and helping them develop healthy habits to last a life- time. I am deeply humbled to be entrusted with the responsibility of helping shape the bright future ahead for the university sports community.”
The early part of 2023 was equally busy for FISU as the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Winter got underway in the North Country region of New York State in the United States. Over 11 days from 12- 22 January 2023, close to 2,200 athletes, coaches, and officials from 46 countries and 545 universities arrived to compete in 12 sports and 85 medal events.
This was not new for Lake Placid, accus- tomed to welcoming the world in its beau-
tiful, mountainous terrain, having hosted the 1972 World University Games as well as the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games. Team Japan had an outstanding FISU Games capturing the overall medal count with 48, and 21 gold. Korea placed second with 29 medals and the host United States enjoyed its best ever FISU Games Winter with 17 medals, including three gold.
A mere six months later, the summer ath- letes were on centre stage in Chengdu, China for the FISU World University Games Summer. The hosts dominated the medal table with 178 total, almost doubling second place Japan’s tally of 93. This included 103 gold medals, with nine of those coming from swimming world and Olympic champion Zhang Yufei.
India had its best ever showing at the FISU Games Summer with 26 medals, eclipsing its total from all previous participation com- bined. Türkiye also surpassed its previous best result of 27 medals, winning 35.
The last 75 years have been ones of in- credible growth in the university sport movement. With multiple countries having had best ever showings at FISU Games in 2023 and with 20 countries set to play host to events in 2024, these times are a pow- erful demonstration of the global nature of university sport and of its importance for students everywhere.
AIPSMAGAZINE | 55
PHOTO BY FISU, LOGAN SWNEY