Although the Universiade can not be put on a par with the Olympics on competitive level, a fact is that many superstars cut a striking figure in the Universiade:

Michael Johnson, the United States, Track and Field

Johnson, nicknamed Foreest Gump in the sporting field, is almost part of the image of the United States. In his golden age, nobody could stop him from victories at the Olympics or the world championships. He was the fastest man in the men's 200m and 400m in the 1990s. He was crowned in the universiade in Duisburg, Germany in 1989 when he was 21. And then the whole 1990s was under his feet.

 

Mike Powell, the United States, Track and Field

As an American super long jumper, Powell broke the 23-year-old world record by 5cm, leaping 8.95m at the world championships in Tokyo in 1991. The record still stands. Before that, Powell claimed the long jump gold in the 1987 Universiade in Zagreb, which gifted him a chance in the Seoul Omlypics one year later and then made his appearance.

 

Giovanna Trillini, Italy, Fencing

Trillini is a foil master in fencing. The 19-year-old girl got the individual foil bronze medal and team gold at the 1989 Universiade. She harvested both individual and team golds two years later at the Sheffield Universiade. At her first Olympics in Barcelona in 1992, she also won two golds. Until the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Trillini still stood there and gained team bronze medal and individual fourth place.

 

Vitaly Shcherbo, Belarus, Gymnastics

Shcerbo is destined to be a miracle because he gained four gold medals one day at the Olympics, and he was also the first gymnast who won six golds at one Olympics. Before he made the history in 1992, he took three gold medals in 24 hours at the 1991 Universiade.

 

Li Ning, China, Gymnastics

As China's gymnastics prince, Li Ning won three golds in free exercise, pommel horse and rings in the 1981 Universiade, which was his first international appearance. He swept six golds in the gymnastics World Cup the next year and began his brilliant career.

 

 

Liu Xiang, China, Track and Field

As one of China's sporting icons, men's 110m hurdler Liu Xiang gained his first world title in the Beijing Universiade in 2001 when he was 18 years old. Then he began to make history from breaking Asian and world records to winning Olympic and world championships golds.