By Shaun Phillips
6 Jan 2004
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On their marks: Athletes Joanne Lambert,
Sam Quinn and Cindy Lu Fitzpatrick get into the spirit
of the games.
Picture: David Caird |
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THE world's second-oldest multi-sport event
is coming to Victoria - and it's not the
Commonwealth Games in 2006.
The 20th Deaflympic Games will be held in Melbourne and Ballarat
over 12 days from January 5 next year.
Organisers say the Deaflympics could attract
35,000 people, including competitors, officials and supporters.
About 1200 volunteers will be required,
with training in basic sign language to be provided.
Australia will field a team of 170 next
year.
Distance runner Joanne Lambert has won
three gold medals and one silver from four Deaflympics. The 37-year-old
Geelong runner is considering the 5000m, 10,000m and marathon.
Basketballer Sam Quinn will be competing
at his third Deaflympics. "Having
all the green-and-gold faces in Melbourne, it will be awesome,"
said Quinn, 26, who plays with Bulleen in the Victorian Basketball
League. Dual Commonwealth Games
swimmer Cindy Lu Fitzpatrick, who won 19 gold medals at six Deaflympics
between 1977 and 1997, will act as patron.
The Deaflympics will attract 3500 athletes,
about 1000 fewer than the Commonwealth Games, but wins on the
country count - 83 to 72. The events
run for the same number of days and have a similar number of sports.
Similarities disappear when it comes to budget. Deaflympics
organisers have $10 million to play with compared with a total
budget of $1 billion for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The
Federal and State Governments have each contributed $4 million
to the Deaflympics, leaving organisers to raise $2 million.
The Deaflympics, formerly the World Deaf
Games, were first held in 1924. Athletes with no hearing below
55 decibels qualify. Hearing aids are removed for competition.
Sports are not modified, except
to replace auditory commands with visual signals. A green light
signals the startof a race for swimmers and runners.
The opening and closing ceremonies and
athletics will be held at Olympic Park. The Melbourne Sports and
Aquatic Centre will host b0_adminton, basketball, handball, swimming,
table tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling. Ballarat
will host cycling and orienteering and some basketball, soccer
and volleyball matches. More information can be found at www.deaflympics.com
About one in 10 Australians suffers some
degree of hearing loss, and one in three aged 65-plus.
