Trumpets Welcome N.Z. Team

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31785, 16 September 1968, Page 26

Trumpets Welcome N.Z. Team

(From BRUCE HEWITT. N.Z.P.A. special correspondent) MEXICO CITY. Blaring trumpets of a Mariachi band welcomed the New Zealand Olympic team to Mexico City on Friday night. The colourful Mariachis, grouped about the international airport entrance, played and sang a Mexican welcome to the New Zealanders after their 22-hour journey. The New Zealanders are among the early arrivals for the games. They left home on Friday the thirteenth, and and after crossing the dateline arrived in Mexico on Friday the thirteenth. It was practically a nonstop journey. Buses moved the whole party directly across Los Angeles airfield

from one airliner to another. There was some delay while their immense amount of gear was loaded on to the aircraft and they reached Mexico City about an hour behind schedule.

Mexican Olympic and customs officials simply waved the team through the terminal to a fleet of buses which moved off at the usual Mexican suicidal speed along super highways to the Olympic village. The Mexican organisation may not be perfect, but it could not be more enthusiastic.

All the New Zealand team is now here except the hurdler, R. O. Johnson, who has yet to arrive from the United States. He was to have joined the team at Los Angles, but apparently could not make the connection. Most of the New Zealanders spent their "first night in Mexico tn the sixth floor

apartments which will be their home for the next six weeks. The women members are quartered in a similar, but fenced-off block of flats nearby. Oddly enough, in a country noted for its prim rectitude, the wire fences look the least effective of the games village barricades. The windows of the block are heavily curtained, however, and there is a solid high outside fence \ and a police guard to keep out the unwanted. The New Zealand men and a handful of' Australian team officials are the only occupants so far of a fine, new nine-storeyed building which will eventually house six national teams. The Australians are the advance guard for a team of about 180 who will take over three whole floors of the building next week.

The New Zealanders’ other international neighbours will

be from Ireland, Canada, Pakistan and South Vietnam.

As yet, there have been too few arrivals for the games’ real atmosphere to exist in the village, but there is an international air about the vast dining halls, the gymnasium, swimming pools and other excellent facilities provided.

The new arrivals are taking their first few days quietly to adjust to Mexico City’s high altitude (about 7400 ft at the village), and the New Zealanders have been strongly advised to do likewise.

The first impression they have been given from the Australian advance party, who include men of vast Olympic and Commonwealth Games experience, is that they will find the sports venues probably the best provided for the Olympics. The Australians have been boundless in their praise for all the facilities they have seen.