WORLD ATHLETES TO TAIWAN IN 2009

Duisburg, Germany, July 25 (CNA) Acting Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai received the flag of the World Games from International World Games Association (IWGA) Chairman Ron Froehlich at the closing ceremony Sunday of the current Games, formally making the southern Taiwan city the host of the next World Games in 2009.


At the closing ceremony, Duisburg Mayor Adolf Sauerland bid farewell to athletes from around the world and congratulated everyone who had participated and watched the current Games. Sauerland also announced that Chinese Taipei will host the next World Games in Kaohsiung City in 2009.

The stadium was teeming with Taiwan supporters who waved banners Saying, "Taiwan -- GO, GO, GO!"



The World Games is a global athletic contest of sports not included in the Olympic Games. It will be the largest-ever international sports event hosted by Taiwan.

Speaking at the closing ceremony in English, Chen assured the world that Kaohsiung has the resolve and willingness to host the 2009 World Games. He said that like the city of Duisburg, Kaohsiung is also a port city, where passionate people will make Kaohsiung's dreams come true.

The closing ceremony concluded amid much fanfare with the playing of a tune called "See You in Taiwan."

Mayor Chen headed a 400-member Kaohsiung delegation to Duisburg for a visit to the 2005 competitions held in the western German city July 14- 24.

Russia was the biggest winner at the 2005 World Games, garnering 27 gold, 19 silver and 11 bronze medals, while Kaohsiung took home two gold, two silver and two bronze medals, ranking 22nd among 60 participating countries.

(By Wang Shu-feng and Deborah Kuo)