Top Ten Moments of Napoli 2019

With the ending of the premiere international university sports event in Napoli, attention now turns to Chengdu, China for the 31st edition.

As thousands of athletes, officials, spectators and volunteers leave Napoli with the joy of summer in their hearts and a spring in their step from having witnessed the biggest multi-sport event for student-athletes, let us look back on the top ten moments that made the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade a memorable one.

10. The Panda Dance

Dozens of pandas stormed the stage during the closing ceremony and broke into a delightful dance – a sign of things to come as the baton was handed over to the Chinese city of Chengdu for the next edition of the Summer Universiade in 2021. In a Closing Ceremony that was all about celebration, the animals that symbolise the next host city got everyone smiling and tapping their feet.

9. Brazil’s Double Sprint Gold

A double sprint gold is always something to write home about and Paulo André Camilo de Oliveira gave Brazilian press ample content to do just that as he stormed to gold in both, the men’s 100m and 200m finals. The 20-year-old from Vila Velha won the 200m with a personal best of 20.28 seconds and the 100m in 10.09 seconds. It could have been three gold medals for him, but he injured himself while running the last leg of the 4 x 100m relay and missed out on the podium.

8. Japan’s Half Marathon Sweep

Japan’s emphatic performance at the 30^th Summer Universiade is evident from the fact that they topped the overall medals table at the end with 33 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze. But nowhere was the domination so absolute as it was in the half marathon. With six total individual medals on offer between the men’s and women’s event, Japan swept up all six – gold, silver and bronze for both men and women. No prizes for guessing who won the overall team gold for this event.

7. Women’s Football Final

When North Korea’s So Yon Jon scored in the 88^th minute to break the 1-1 deadlock in the women’s football final against Japan, the whole team erupted in joy as it virtually sealed their third victorious run in women’s football at the Summer Universiade. DPR Korea had also won the title in 2003 and 2007. It ended up being their lone gold medal of Napoli 2019, making it all the more valuable.

6. Epic Men’s Pole Vault Duel

It was a duel to remember in the men’s pole vault between Ernest John Obiena of Philippines and Torben Blech of Germany. Obiena had set a new national record earlier this year, with 5.71. German Blech also came in with the same PB (personal best). As Obiena cleared 5.66, he went straight into the lead. So, Blech decided to take it up one notch, passed on 5.66 altogether and went straight to 5.71, to clear it on his second attempt.  Both men finally registered new PBs with 5.76 but Obiena won gold as he cleared the height on his second attempt, while Blech had to settle for silver, having cleared on his third and final attempt.

5. Andrea Bocelli at the Opening Ceremony

A lasting image from the artistic and musical Opening Ceremony of Napoli 2019 will be the spellbinding performance of arguably the best tenor in the world today – Andrea Bocelli, whose melodious voice enthralled the spectators and resonated in Stadio San Paolo as the clock struck midnight to mark the opening of the games.

4. Hitomi Hatakeda’s Golden Haul

Tiny, wisp-like Hitomi Hatakeda of Japan stood like a giant at the end of artistic gymnastics, having won four gold medals – in the women’s uneven bars, balance beam, all-around and the team event. Her haul took Japan straight to the top of the gymnastics medals tally with seven gold, well clear of other strong nations like Russia, Taipei and Italy. The 18-year-old missed out on the podium for the floor routine but took solace in the fact that she finished in the company of the likes of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci, by winning four gold medals at a single Universiade.

3. King and Queen of the Pool

The United States team finished the swimming competition at Napoli 2019 the same way they started it – in dominant fashion. As Zachary Apple and Gabrielle DeLoof led the Americans to victory in the 4 x 100m medley relays on the final day, it marked the culmination of a week of US domination at Piscina Scandone. Both, Apple and DeLoof ended with five gold medals apiece, two for the 100m and 200m freestyle and three for the relays (4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley).

2. India’s Golden Girl 

One of the watershed moments of Napoli 2019 was certainly Indian sprinter Dutee Chand winning the women’s 100m dash. Indian sprinters rarely win medals at international meets, let alone gold. With this win, the Indian national record holder became the first Indian female track and field athlete in Universiade history to clinch a gold medal. The weight of her achievement was such that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi,  to congratulate her.

1. Italian Men’s Water Polo Gold

And finally, the moment of crowning glory for the home nation Italy. Just hours before the Closing Ceremony, the host nation also closed out their medal campaign with gold in the men’s waterpolo final. It was a perfect moment to cap off the fortnight, as a frenzied crowd celebrated with the athletes.