Acting Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (
At the ceremony, Duisburg Mayor Adolf Sauerland bid farewell to athletes from around the world and congratulated everyone who had participated and watched the games. Sauerland also announced that Chinese Taipei will host the next World Games in Kaohsiung in 2009.
The stadium was teeming with Taiwanese supporters who waved banners saying, "Taiwan -- GO, GO, GO!"
The World Games is a global athletic contest for sports not included in the Olympic Games. It will be the largest-ever international sports event hosted by Taiwan.
Speaking at the closing ceremony in English, Chen said Kaohsiung has the resolve and willingness to host the 2009 World Games.
The closing ceremony concluded amid much fanfare with the playing of a tune called "See You in Taiwan."
Chen headed a 400-member Kaohsiung delegation to Duisburg for the competitions that began on July 14.
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