The Student Sports Festival for International Students was held at N.P. Ogarev Mordovia State University in Saransk. This large-scale event served not only as a sports competition but also as a platform for strengthening friendship, solidarity, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange between students from different countries studying at nine Russian universities.
The university was represented by a team of 30 international students from TSU. The delegation included representatives from India, Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt. Over the course of five days, these young people demonstrated their athletic skill, unity, and will to win.
Teams from Kazan, Ufa, Kaliningrad, Saransk, Ulyanovsk, and Orenburg also participated in the competition. Participants competed in seven sports: futsal, cricket, badminton, table tennis, chess, the 4x200m relay, and tug-of-war.
The Derzhavin University team demonstrated excellent athletic performance and earned several medals. In tug-of-war, the Derzhavin team emerged victorious, winning gold. Second place and a silver medal were awarded in futsal. Third place and bronze medals were won in the relay and table tennis.
At the end of the Student Sports Festival for International Students, the Derzhavin University team placed among the top three and took third place in the overall team standings, receiving a bronze cup.
– It was an incredible experience. "We not only competed but also interacted with students from different regions, shared culture and traditions, and supported each other. For us, victory means more than just medals; it means making new friends," noted cricket team captain Srinivasan Raju.
The university administration expressed gratitude to the participants for their impressive athletic performance, emphasizing that such events not only promote athletic development but also aim to integrate international students into the Russian educational and cultural environment.
"We are proud of our students! They have proven that sport truly unites. Their success is the result of perseverance, teamwork, and a genuine love for the university," noted Elena Zueva, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at Derzhavin University.
The Student Sports Festival for International Students is held annually to promote sports and strengthen friendships between young people from different countries studying in Russia.