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Penny Went collected a silver medal at the last World Games for the Deaf – now she is home and aiming for gold.

The sixteenth World Games for the Deaf wraps up on 18 January 1989, with the next hosts being Sofia, Bulgaria. Members of the New Zealand team perform a farewell haka for their overseas visitors.

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 full page update from Christchurch Star on the World Games for the Deaf - Thursday 5 January. Be quick for souvenirs...No need for a whistle or gun; Close watch for drugs.

The result of Dick Poole's efforts was the official team photograph of the New Zealand team. The team mascot is in the centre of the front row alongside the coaches and team officials.

New Zealand will have to struggle to send a team to the next World Games for the Deaf because of the huge cost of staging the 1989 event which ended at Queen Elizabeth II Park yesterday.

The members of New Zealand deaf team signed into the Ilam games village yesterday. First to put pen to paper was Malcolm Clausen, watched by other members of the men's basketball team.

A full page update from The Press, on the results from the World Games for the Deaf - Saturday 14 January. Smith smashes record; Medal prospects; Basketball chance; Fast Swimming; Close tennis final.

When the 1400 competitors and officials arrive in Christchurch to take part in the World Games for the Deaf, TVNZ's news programme for the deaf will be ready and waiting. The small staff of the weekly programme "News Review" is being boosted by four journalists to cover the events of the three-week games in January.

The vice-chairman of the organising committee, Mrs Margaret Coutts, said yesterday "for two weeks there will be more deaf people on the street than hearing people. My heart is filled with gold because of the very big turn out – there are more athletes here than at the previous World Games in America (in 1985)."

About 100 interpreters have been trained in Christchurch over the last year. The classes were organised by the hearing people but the deaf were the teachers. It is only the second time that New Zealand sign language has been taught in this country.