SHENZHEN, China - Three days to go for the Shenzhen Universiade badminton competition, a short black young man entered the gymnasium, taking out the racket, but found no one on the other side of the net.
He was alone.
Daniel Mukamba, the 23-year old Zambian, was the only badminton player his country sent to the Shenzhen Universiade. He had no instructor, no teammate. He even could not find one to fight a warmup game against.
But it wasn't long before an volunteer came up.
"Hey, come on, guy."
Mukamba certainly would like to rise to the challenge with a deep high service and here went his special training session.
"I think it is against the regulations, but I didn't have other choices but help him," the volunteer said.
It would be the most amateur player Mukamba had ever encountered in his career.
"It doesn't matter," Mukamba said, bursting into laughters, "I am competing to enjoy, although I am the only one with Zambia in badminton, a single person could make a difference."
Mukamba certainly knew the core concept of this Universiade -- Start Here, Make a difference.
In the fencing gymnasium, the 23-year-old Ahamad Jawad from Iraq was like Mukamba.
After the war in 2003, Iraq had been suffering from poverty, with no money to fund them. Only four athletes were in the Iraqi delegation.
"I came here all by myself, and alone," Jawad said.
Before the preliminary round of sabre fencing, Jawad put on his jersey, lift the sword, but found nobody to practise with.
Five minutes later, he lost 5-0 to his first rival. Five minutes more he lost with the same score again, ending his competing run in the Universiade.
"I enjoy the fight, I am happy because I could compete with players that were stronger than me," he said.
In the tennis court, the 18-year old Yan Zhen from China could find her luck in her 1-6, 1-6 loss to an Indonesian player in the preliminary round of women's singles. At least, she won two games of the match.
"I am not a professional player, it is normal," Yan, a normal university student, said in smile after the match.
"I major in finance, but I am not good at mathematics and English," she said.
"My favourite player is Safin, only because he is handsome," she smiled again, showing some special shyness of a girl in such age.
"I enjoy competing in the Universiade," Yan said.
Many athletes who lost their games here still enjoy their tour of the Universiade.
