The Sports Meet

In the States, university track meets feature stellar athletes who have trained for years fighting for the glory of first place finishes. In China, university sports meets feature teachers and students from every major competing for the glory of their department. Can you imagine all of your college teachers, including your chemistry and biology and physics professors (no insult intended towards the physical fitness of said professors) racing against each other? And we’re not just talking about a few 100 meter races.  There are long races. There are races where you have to run and jump rope at the same time. There is the long jump, shot put, and bean bag toss. There is the run 50 meters with a ball balanced on a spoon event.  And in all of these, your ordinary teachers must compete against the P.E. (as in physical education, as in we play sports day in and day out) department. It hardly seems fair.

I, quite thankfully, assumed role of photographer for the team. There are others with far greater athletic prowess who were willing to step in. The surprise of the day was that after running into a student who helps with photography at the school, I was given a Canon 70-200 L series lens to play with for the day.  Although perhaps that wasn’t such a good thing, because I now want a Canon 70-200 L series lens, although I admittedly could use a bit more practice on it.

Here are a few scattered shots from the day.  Not included is our early morning march into the stadium with all of the teachers. The march that required several practices during the lunch hour so we could all stay in step and release our bundle of colored balloons at the same time.  We were dressed to the nines in the department track suits and white gloves.  I figured slinging a large camera over my shoulder might disturb the desired uniformity, hence I leave the procession to your imagination.

Official gunman/race starter for the day.

{Which, short story on Lost In Translation: while standing at the side of the track about this time, we were told we needed to move because it was too dangerous…because of the shoes.  Were they afraid that a shoe would fly off and hurt us?  Or did they mean to say gun?  We may never know.}

On your mark…

Daren racing in the “older” teacher’s 100 meter final.  He came in second…but only because one of the other teachers started early.  That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

His family thinks he’s a champion.

Lauren in the “younger” teacher’s 100 meter final.

Racing to a first place finish.

Dad & Daughter.

Kami in the “older” teacher’s 100 meter jump rope race.

Did I mention that there are constantly student performances (i.e. dances and karaoke) going on in the middle of the field?

Lauren off to victory in the “younger” teacher’s 100 meter jump rope race.

Setting up for the most dangerous event of the day.

Brilliant idea: Tie 10 students together (don’t worry, the teachers do this too) and force them to hustle as fast as possible across the field.

Award girls taking in the most dangerous event.  Just think about the pile of bodies and twisted limbs if one person goes down.  And go down they do.

Our department’s students stay upright and race to victory.

Perhaps my favorite competitor of the day, competing in the “most mature” teacher’s 50 meter jump rope race.

Ladies long jump.

Lauren soaring high.  Too bad she didn’t know until after the fact that you have to land with your feet together.

Kami soars.

Are you still with me?  If so, congratulations for making it to the end of this lengthy expose of sports day!