Network through sports? Participants from NTU's Chinese Executive Programmes did just that on 1 June when they came together for an evening of friendly games.
"It's so wonderful to be able to learn and study at NTU," said Wang Lianfu, Director of the Disciplinary Commission at Citic Bank's Head Office, China.
 Lianfu is one of the 127 participants who took part in the networking session organized by the Alumni Affairs Office at the Sports and Recreation Centre. The participants from four different executive programmes, participated in three sports tournaments - badminton, 5-on-5 basketball and table tennis - during the exciting two-hour event.
The event served as a platform for members of the four training groups to mingle and interact with one another. Mr Soon Min Yam, Director of the Alumni Affairs Office added that the event is also a great opportunity for participants to get to know the NTU campus and community.
To kick-off the event, everyone gathered for a group photograph and the sports hall was filled with smiles and the not-so-familiar sound, "qie zi", an innovative Chinese twist on words "say cheese." "Qie zi" means eggplant in Chinese.
In the spirit of friendship, the participants cheered one another on although they were competing against each other in the various events.
"It really doesn't matter who wins; the most important thing is the friends that we have made through this event," said Jiang Yi, Deputy Magistrate of Hengfeng County People's Government, Jiangxi Province. Representing her training group in table tennis, Jiang Yi helped clinch both the women's doubles title and the mixed doubles title.
Liu Daping, Deputy Director of the Changchun City Urban Development Commission, who was in the winning basketball team said: "Our victory lies in our determination and our team spirit. Our team is united as one; those of us who are unable to participate in the sports events became cheerleaders and supported the team all the way. That's how we won."
Wang Guoyan, Director of the Cadre Supervision Division of the Jilin Provincial Party Committee and one of the key players of the Jilin Province basketball team, expressed his gratitude to the university and the Alumni Affairs Office for organizing the event.
"I have gained a lot of knowledge from my teachers and staff during my short stay here at NTU," said Guoyan. "I am really happy to have learnt from them."
The evening ended with a the prize presentation ceremony and a relaxing dinner party.
记高级培训班体育联谊会
"能在南洋理工大学学习实在是太好了!" 中国中信银行高级管理人员培训班团长王连福说。
南大校友事务处于6月1日在本校的体育与康乐中心为127名来自中国在南洋理工大学接受培训的学员们主办了一项联谊活动。其中，参加这次活动的包括来自吉林省领导干部公共行政管理与廉政建设培训班，长春市领导干部经济管理高级培训班，江西省人力资源开发与管理培训班和中国中信银行高级管理人员培训班的学员们。
校友事务处希望通过轻松的联谊活动让学员们有机会互相交流并增进彼此之间的友谊。
"虽然学员们在南大只有短短的两三个星期，我们还是希望大家能够通过这次的活动更深一层的去体验和了解南大的校园生活。"南大校友事务处处长孙敏炎在致词时说。
 除了交流时间和丰富的自助晚餐之外，联谊活动的节目还包括三项让学员们切磋球艺的体育比赛 － 羽毛球，篮球和乒乓。学员们都持着"友谊第一，比赛第二"的精神来参与。与此同时，没有参加比赛项目的学员们也分别组成啦啦队为比赛选手加油打气。
"输赢并不重要，重要的是能够通过这项活动有机会结交到这么多的朋友，"代表江西队参加乒乓赛的江怡在受访时说。江怡分别和两位队友在乒乓女双和混双两场比赛中脱颖而出，为江西队立下不少汗马功劳。
篮球赛在三项比赛当中最引人注目。身穿红色球衣的吉林队在大决赛中对垒身穿白色T-恤的长春队。因为两队的实力相当，比赛可说是高潮迭起，越打越激烈;在旁观赛的啦啦队也没有松懈下来，不断喊口号支持队友。
两队在首节完场时比数不分高低。可是，当第二节一开始，长春队便加强攻势，频频投篮，把比数拉远。但是，吉林队也不是省油的灯。他们在落后的情况下依然保持镇定，努力应战，把比数的差距缩小为11比12。正当吉林队想把握机会改变赛事，裁判吹哨示意比赛已经结束。长春队最终以一分打败吉林队，凯旋而归。
长春队团长刘大平在受访时认为，长春队之所以会夺冠是因为全班人都团结一致，即使不参赛的学员们也到场做啦啦队支持参赛的学员。同时，刘团长也对校友事务处这次举办联谊活动让学员们在异国他乡能够享有这么丰富的团体生活表示感激。
联谊活动在颁奖典礼和自助晚餐后结束。
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