Tony McGill

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.

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.

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’.

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 New Zealand Deaf team marched on Dominion Road, accompanied by police, with farewell speeches at Auckland Deaf Society before departing for the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles.

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 popular basketball programme was hosted over two days at Cowles Stadium with footage coverage of the Manawatu and Christchurch ladies competing for the Otago Deaf Society Cup, which Manawatu won (19-15). The winner of the Cunliffe Memorial Cup (men’s) went to Christchurch, with the runner up Wellington (63-56).

The educational TV series ‘Spot On’, visits a Deaf basketball training session to catch up with Royce Flynn and Megan Mansfield, and understand how the sport is played by Deaf athletes, and controlled by a Deaf referee.

Dressed in jandals, John Ooteman takes to the podium for his gold medal in the 35 km time trial, supported by a crew of New Zealand supporters. 

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.