Bid took 12 years

Although many people will not have heard of the World Games for the Deaf, New Zealand’s involvement with them spans 40 years.

The first information about the games reached New Zealand in 1949 and the New Zealand Deaf Amateur Sports Association was formed.

The first games were in Paris in 1924. Nine European countries contested five sports.

John McRae was the first New Zealander to attend the games. He paid his own way to the competition in Brussels in 1953.

Two years after those games, New Zealand and Australia were accepted as members of the International Committee for Silent Sports, the ruling body of the games.

McRae returned in 1961 to Helsinki to win the first medals for this country in wrestling. He won a silver for freestyle wrestling and a bronze in Greco-Roman.

It was more than 10 years ago that New Zealand indicated it would like to hold the games here.

In 1977 three Kiwis at the Romanian games told the committee this country would be making a bid to hold the event.

In 1981 the games were transferred from Iran to Germany because of political unrest and John Ooteman won New Zealand’s first gold medal in cycling.

Along with Japan, Spain and America, the Kiwis bid for the 1985 games but they went to Los Angeles.

Finally the 12-year-old idea came true. In 1983 New Zealand was selected as the venue for the 16th World Games for the Deaf.

A lot of talking

The Deaf Olympics are not the only international deaf event being held in Christchurch.

The International Committee for Silent Sports — the ruling body of the Games — has been meeting at the town hall this week.

The committee has had to approve many of the arrangements made for the Games and has carried out inspections and made requests over the past year.

The conference, always held just before the Games, is for the deaf only.

One of the many things which has needed the committee’s approval during the past year is the design of the medals to be presented to winners at the Games.

The backs of the medals show a Māori design which signifies welcome and peace.

Showing off the gold, silver and bronze is Mr John MacDonald, the chairman of the organising committee, and the kiwi which travelled as the New Zealand team’s mascot to Los Angeles.