Tony McGill

New Zealand sends 30 athletes to the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles, with footage of the opening ceremony. The flagbearer for New Zealand was John Ooteman, with Susie Ovens carrying the kiwi mascot. The Gallaudet Dance Company also put on a performance. Footage shows a fly by with a sign saying ‘WELCOME WORLD GAMES FOR THE DEAF’.

A shipwreck themed fancy dress party – a basketball fundraiser – was organised by the Christchurch Deaf Basketball Club. There are pirates aplenty and dress parades with the best dressed going to Graham Hammond and Joyce Ferguson.

The New Zealand team manager, Tony Walton, reports on the team’s results at the Los Angeles 1985 World Deaf Games including where the team stayed and played at.

The first ever International Deaf Rugby Test Series was held in New Zealand in 1995 between New Zealand and South Africa. South Africa won the series 2-1.

The second National Deaf Sevens tournament was held at the Linton Military Camp, located just south of Palmerston North, where the Central boys won a points-based competition.

Narrated by Tony Walton, the New Zealand team’s plans are disrupted two hours into their flight with an engine problem. They are forced to return back to Auckland.

The Christchurch Golf Club hosts a fundraiser at the Armagh Street Clubrooms, organising a social evening - with participants encouraged to come in Chinese Fancy Dress. Origami folding and calligraphy were some of the games on the night. Watch to see who won the compulsory fancy-dress parade!

The New Zealand basketball team battled it out with Sweden on 13 July 1985, at Pepperdine University, Malibu. The first half went to Sweden, 81 to 25, before the New Zealanders fought back for a better second half, ending with 156 to Sweden and 74 to New Zealand. It was the New Zealand basketball team’s second loss at the Games, having earlier lost to Israel. They came 7th out of 8 teams at the Games.

It’s not often we get to see four New Zealanders on the podium at the same time, and that is what we get in this video! It's most certainly time to break out the champagne when the team gets back to their base with a speech by the team manager.