Four New Zealand deaf athletes are favoured to win medals in swimming, cycling, and badminton events at the 16th World Games for the Deaf being held in Christchurch.
The 112-strong New Zealand team will compete in 11 of the 12 sports which will be held at numerous venues within the city from January 7 to 17.
Auckland butterfly swimmer Michael Lynch is a top prospect in the 100m and 200m events at Queen Elizabeth II Park pool.
Johannes Ooteman, of Palmerston North, will be pedalling hard in the 35km and 100km road cycling races aiming to finish in the leading bunch.
The badminton doubles combination of Pam Croskrey and Penny Went, of Auckland, hopes to emulate the efforts of a former New Zealand women’s deaf doubles combination which won the silver medal at the latest world games in Los Angeles in 1985.
Christchurch Van Asch College student Frank Watson is an outside chance for a medal on the track in the 800m and in his favoured 1500m race.
Marathon
Another runner, Kevin Lawrence of Hawera, is an outside chance for a medal. Coached by John Davies, he has improved considerably in recent months and is expected to run a fast marathon on January 15.
The New Zealand team is the third biggest behind the United States (225) and West Germany (130).
Competitors and officials are staying mainly at Ilam.
The first events, two soccer matches, will be held on Friday – the day before the official opening.
Both matches will be at English Park, the venue for most of the soccer, with England and Sweden meeting at 4.30pm and the Australia and West German game at 6.30pm.
The first shooting events will be held on Saturday morning before the Minister of Health, Mr Caygill, opens the games at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday afternoon.
In the evening, New Zealand supporters will see the national deaf soccer team play its first game against the Netherlands, at 6.30pm, at English Park.
Korea and Italy will play the early soccer game at 4.30pm.
