Taipei Mayor moved to tears after watching Summer Universiade documentary

 The Chinese Taipei delegation leads countries and athletes into Taipei Stadium one final time for the Summer Universiade Closing Ceremony

TAIPEI CITY – During Taipei Summer Universiade 2017, the city pulled back the curtain and showed the world what it could do as host of an international-class sporting event.

While the Chinese Taipei team had home field advantage, could they handle the pressure? To find out, National Geographic created the documentary “Inside: 2017 Taipei Universiade.” After watching the global television premier last week, Taipei City Mayor Wen-je Ko was moved to tears.

The “Inside: 2017 Taipei Universiade” documentary had its global television premiere on the National Geographic Channel on 31 October.  

At the first showing at the official press conference, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je was seen choking back tears a number of times after the 5-minute short version was screened. The Mayor proudly proclaimed that this documentary shows one and all that “Taipei did it!”

Chinese Taipei finished the Summer Universiade with 26 gold, 34 silver and 30 bronze. It was record-setting haul for the host delegation that saw them finish third on the medals table.

The film follows local athletes in their lead-up and performance at Taipei 2017, a team of athletes that has learned to punch above its weight in the international sporting arena.

 The hosts performed particularly well in the rollersports arena. Here, Ho-Chen Yang (left) and Meng-Chu Li display their gold and silver medals from the Rollersports Women’s Marathon.

The film also reveals secrets to the planning process and the story behind the Summer Universiade 2017 sporting spotlight, using new animation technology to show how a land that was once bog and marsh transformed itself into today’s vibrant sporting city.

After its global premiere on National Geographic on October 31, the video has been rebroadcast repeatedly in Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Oceania. The television feature was shown in 43 countries, attracting an estimated audience of over 120 million viewers.

 The Roller Sports Men’s Marathon came down to a sprint finish, with the first six athletes separated by less than a second after crisscrossing through Taipei City at high speeds.

The 2017 Taipei Universiade proved an important milestone for the island to organise international sporting competitions. The Taipei City Government spent more than six years preparing for the event as countless behind-the-scenes staff members readied the city for 272 medal winning events spread over a twelve-day event programme.

University Sport brings out the best in people. Here, USA baseball players autograph cards and baseballs from the dugout after playing the Czech Republic. 

With the curtains lowered and the competitions done, the documentary highlighted Taipei’s transformation. “It was a miracle in the summer of 2017, as the nation had the chance to hold the largest international sports event it has ever held and become more united,” Mayor Ko said. “We joined forces and overcame difficulties to make history, so I think the Universiade will become an unforgettable memory for many.” 

Watch the Trailer to the Taipei 2017 Documentary