From June 4 to 9, the 38th Zhejiang Provincial Bocce Championship was successfully held at Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational College (ZJITC). As a premier bocce competition in Zhejiang Province, the event drew many outstanding athletes from across the province to compete and exchange skills. The venue was filled with a strong competitive atmosphere, and the overall standard of competition was exceptionally high. The School of International Education selected outstanding international students and formed two teams to take part in the event. This marked the first appearance of the college’s international students at a provincial-level bocce championship. With solid training, close teamwork and composed on-court performances, the student athletes stood out in multiple events and secured two silver medals, delivering an impressive performance.

The championship featured a comprehensive range of events, categorized into three major divisions: Mini Metallic Bocce, Plastic Bocce and Short-distance Lawn Bocce. Competition formats included singles, doubles, triples and mixed doubles, which fully tested athletes’ technical skills, on-the-spot adaptability and team spirit. Faced with many strong opponents from across the province, the international students from our school stayed calm and high-spirited throughout the competition. They approached every round seriously and completed each throw with precision. Amid fierce competition, they advanced steadily, constantly challenging themselves and pushing beyond their limits, fully demonstrating the sporting spirit of striving for excellence.

After intense contests, the final rankings of each event were announced in succession. In Mini Metallic Bocce, our school’s competitors delivered an outstanding performance. The women’s triples team, with close coordination and sound tactical execution, won second place. In the women’s singles event, athlete Khumo claimed another silver medal with skilled techniques. The teams also gave their all in Plastic Bocce: the women’s triples team finished fourth, while the men’s triples team ranked sixth, making the school’s overall performance particularly commendable.

List of Award Winners

2nd Place, Women’s Triples (Mini Metallic Bocce): MVANDABA LIYEMA, MOGAFE RUFARO TISETSO, MALATJIE GOMOLEMO KHUMO

7th Place, Women’s Doubles (Mini Metallic Bocce): MVANDABA LIYEMA, MOGAFE RUFARO TISETSO

2nd Place, Women’s Singles (Mini Metallic Bocce): MALATJIE GOMOLEMO KHUMO

4th Place, Women’s Triples (Plastic Bocce): SIBEKO KGALALETSANG QUEEN, LOMBARD JODIE FARREN, SERANYANE DIMAKATSO LYDIA

6th Place, Men’s Triples (Plastic Bocce): MDABE PHUMELELA, MAKHALIMA MPHO, MASHALANE TUMELO GERALD, MAHLANGU MOLEPA TOKOLOGO

7th Place, Men’s Doubles (Plastic Bocce): MDABE PHUMELELA, MAKHALIMA MPHO

Sports Ethics Award: MNYANDU KWENZEKILE THATHOKUHLE, SAUL BUHLE, SERANYANE DIMAKATSO LYDIA, MDABE PHUMELELA

Sports serve as a wonderful bridge for cultural exchange. Through the competition, international students not only experienced firsthand the unique charm of Zhejiang’s distinctive sports and strengthened their perseverance, but also built a valuable platform for interaction among young people from China and abroad. Moving forward, the School of International Education will continue to enrich extracurricular cultural and sports activities for international students and further promote campus sports development. It will encourage international students to build up their physical strength and cultivate character through sports, make athletics a bond of friendship connecting Chinese and foreign cultures, and strive for even greater achievements in future competitions.