An ecstatic Irene van Dyk led around 150 New Zealand athletes and support staff into the Jawarharlal Nehru Stadium tonight to celebrate the opening of the 19th Commonwealth Games and a ten day festival of sport and culture.
Joined by Peter Hillary and Jamling Norgay, the team marched in black with white khata draped around their necks. The khata symbolizes peace and friendship and is associated with Sir Ed and Tenzing who are the motivation and inspiration behind this years New Zealand Commonwealth Games Team. Peter Hillary and Jamling Norgay were invited to represent their fathers.
Van Dyk said the ceremony was the most colourful, beautiful and well-organised games I have ever been part of. It was fantastic to walk in with the flag and know youve got the rest of the team behind you, she said.
Chef de Mission Dave Currie also spoke very highly of the event.
The show itself represented the vibrancy, colour and diversity of India. It was outstanding, he said. Organisationally it was seamless in both getting to and from the ceremony. India should also be congratulated for bringing athletes into see the show as this is the first time this has happened. It was just outstanding.
Andrea Miller who will represent New Zealand in the 100m hurdles at the games said she was proud to be a New Zealander and felt the importance of the occasion. It was pretty special, she said. We were thinking that the next time we are here will be walking on the track for our event.
New Zealands first female wrestler Sian Law said the experience was amazing. You could hear the crowd roar before we got into the stadium. I had goosebumps and was so proud. Everyone was so excited.
The exuberant ceremony featured stunningly costumed drummers and dancers from the different regions and cultures of India and its 4000 year history. A symbolic train journey honoured the people of India from shop owners and farm workers to Bollywood stars and government officials.
The event ended with the theme song from Slumdog Millionnaire and was the stand-out part of the evening for athlete support team member and Olympian Dave Kosoof. The song at the end with the fireworks was awesome.
Kosoof had been one of the operations staff who had first arrived in Delhi to set the village up for athletes.
After all wed been through it was a feeling of both excitement and relief to finally have the games underway.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was present at the ceremony to represent Her Majesty the Queen. Reading a message from the Queen, Prince Charles said the Commonwealth Games were an inspiration for all countries to work in peace throughout the world.
The Commonwealth Games will see 191 New Zealand athletes compete in 17 sports over ten days of competition.
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