CHENGDU - From Aug 7 to 17, Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan province hosted the 12th World Games, drawing a record 6,679 athletes, team officials and technical officials from 116 countries and regions.

Athletes from 52 nations and regions took gold, and from 81 reached the podium - unprecedented in the history of the World Games in terms of the number of medal-winning countries and regions.

International World Games Association President Jose Perurena spoke highly of the event in an interview with Xinhua, stating, "It's not possible to compare this game to the other game because we modify our system to create a higher standard quality. It's only possible in Chengdu."

Beyond breaking athletic records, the World Games, which acts as a bridge for cultural exchanges and a catalyst for business growth, serves as a window to how Chengdu is rewriting its role from a hinterland to a vibrant hub of opening-up in western China.