Games Open In Bright Display

A blue sky filled with 2500 green, yellow and blue balloons could not compete with the brilliant colours of team uniforms at the opening of the 16th World Games for the Deaf on Saturday.

A crowd of 4000 cheered and waved as about 1400 athletes and officials resplendent in national colours marched into the stadium as a reminder that the first World Games for the Deaf were held in Paris in 1924.

A kaleidoscope of colours followed as teams filed by in almost alphabetical order.

In a discreet move by organisers, the six-strong Italian team joined the 27 athletes from Ireland to march between Iran and Israel.

Turbans

Iran has sent 44 athletes to the games while Israel has only seven members.

Five countries — China, Hong Kong, Korea, Kuwait and Turkey — are at the games for the first time and received a big welcome from the crowd.

Colourful highlights during the march-in were the Australian team in green and gold, athletes from India in bright orange turbans, and a mass of red, white and blue as the biggest team — 230 athletes and officials from the United States — entered the stadium.

Interpreters

The biggest cheer came as the 130 members of the New Zealand team, in traditional black and white, marched in last following the 71 athletes from the USSR.

New Zealand’s flag was carried by the captain of the cycling team, John Ooteman. Ooteman won New Zealand’s first gold medal in the World Games for the Deaf in 1981 and took another gold in 1985.

As athletes positioned themselves for the opening speeches, political differences were put aside in one of the most moving parts of the opening ceremony.

The entire United States team lined up to touch hands with Russian athletes as the Soviet team marched into place.

Interpreters were kept busy during the opening, having to sign and read speeches for the benefit of athletes and the crowd.

After a welcome by the Committee for International Silent Sport president, Gerald Jordan, the games were formally opened by the Minister of Health, Mr Caygill.

As the New Zealand National Anthem was played, it was signed by three Christchurch women known as the Silent Singers.

The flag of the International Olympic Committee was then paraded into the stadium and hoisted above the electronic scoreboard where it will remain for the duration of the games.

Four skydivers from the Canterbury Skydiving Club were scheduled to land in the stadium but thick cloud meant only one was on target.

A Maori dance group, square dancers, and an Indian dance group then entertained the crowd.