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A summary of each sport featuring in the upcoming VXI World Deaf Games in Christchurch – soccer, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, handball, track and field, wrestling, cycling, swimming and badminton, with New Zealand contenders for medals.

Three officials of the World Games for the Deaf pause to toast the success of the venture, as teams from more than 30 countries arrive in Christchurch.

Four New Zealand deaf athletes are favoured to win medals in swimming, cycling, and badminton. The 112-strong New Zealand team will compete in 11 of the 12 sports.

The New Zealand volleyball team was missing its top five players when it came up against the Italians in its first match in the World Games for the Deaf. New Zealand went down to the more experienced Italians, 3-0, failing to score any points.

New Zealand's Kevin Lawrence won silver in the World Games for the Deaf marathon yesterday, but had to survive a protest.

At the basketball, also at Cowles Stadium, the New Zealand women beat Australia, 91-65, to notch the host country's first win in the sport. New Zealand led 45-26 at half-time and is now in the running for the bronze medal.

The New Zealand team found itself out of its depth in the World Deaf Games soccer tournament, being crushed 18-0 by Netherlands in its opening match on Saturday night at Queen Elizabeth II Park.

The Games will be about the same size as the 1974 sporting extravaganza in Christchurch, the Commonwealth Games. Yet it has been orchestrated on a budget of $700,000 – about one-third of the cost of the opening ceremony planned for the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

New Zealand won its first gold medal at the World Games for the Deaf in California yesterday when cyclist John Ooteman (Fielding) won the 35km time trial in 51m 10s. Also includes results from the New Zealand team.