Beatrice TanAlso known as the World University Games or World Student Games, the Universiade is an international multi-sport event that is akin to the Olympic Games for student athletes. This year’s Summer Universiade Games will be held in Taipei City, and the government is definitely doing its part to rally its citizens into getting all hyped up for this major sporting event.
In the spirit of things, the interiors of the city’s daily commute, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) have been decorated in different themes matching various sporting events of the Games which include basketball, track and field, swimming and soccer.
These boring carriages have been transformed…
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Into a race track
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Now the locals can literally race for a seat in the MRT!
Into a soccer field
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Into a basketball court
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And into the commuters’ favourite: a swimming pool
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Featuring an unbelievably realistic simulation of a swimming pool, this particular backdrop proved to be an extremely refreshing and sensational photo opportunity for commuters!
The Summer Universiade
For the upcoming Summer Universiade, Taipei City will play host to more than 9,000 student-athletes from over 170 countries competing together over 12 days of sports competitions.
The event consists of 14 compulsory sports and up to three optional sports chosen by the host country. Apart from those featured in the carriages, other sports in the Games include archery, badminton, taekwondo, table tennis and gymnastics.
In a bid to spark greater interest in the Games, attached to the handgrips in these Universiade carriages are FAQ boxes which are printed with tidbits of information such as game rules, interesting facts or funny anecdotes related to the respective sport.
The Taipei City government hopes that its sports-themed MRT carriages will allow commuters to get a glimpse of what the game promises and hopes that it will spread interest in the Universiade.
What a brilliant way to generate buzz, inclusivity, and excitement for this event!
