Athletes, officials throng Delhi -28/9/10

Athletes, officials throng Delhi

Vijay Lokapally


GETTING ORIENTED:Australian athletes at the Games Village in New Delhi on Monday. The Akshardham Temple is seen in the background.

NEW DELHI: The focus is slowly shifting back to the athletes with the Commonwealth Games just five days away. The Games Village remained the cynosure for good reasons, as 550 athletes and officials arrived in the capital on Monday.

Flag hoisting ceremonies by Scotland and Norfolk Islands marked the buoyant mood at the Village which witnessed cultural shows and other activities for the athletes and the support staff.

They were presented with souvenirs, including a replica of the Queen's Baton. Students picked to visit the village put up a cultural performance.

South Africa arrived with the biggest contingent of 113, while Scotland came with 77. England (61), Australia (59) and Canada (30) were among other nations to bring the first batch of their respective contingents.

A 13-member New Zealand operations team also moved in ahead of its contingent to get first-hand experience of the improved Village.

Games mascot Shera celebrated ‘World Tourism Day,' with visits to various schools, while 40 volunteers from two British universities — Sheffield Hallam and Leeds Metropolitan — interacted with the Organising Committee (OC) officials.

The volunteers will assist the workforce during athletics at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

On the Village, the OC officials repeated their assurances that much progress had been made with “80 per cent” of the flats ready for the occupants.

South African contingent arrives

Jiby Kattakayam

reports:

South African High Commissioner to India Harris Majeke held a press conference to announce the arrival of the South African contingent and to wish the host country success with the Games.

Mr. Majeke had created a stir on Sunday with claims of a snake having been found in one of the apartments at the Games Village and by expressing concerns at preparedness. But he retracted his statement later saying: “Everything has been addressed.”

Reading out from a prepared statement, Mr. Majeke said “there was no doubt in our minds” that South Africa, which had won the bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and India would host “the two major sporting events of 2010 with distinction.”

“Today, with only five days to go before the Games begin, we remain optimistic that India will deliver a memorable Games,” he said. “As we used to say in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup: ‘Feel it, it is here, Ke Nako (the time is now);' I wish to say the same in relation to the imminent Commonwealth Games.”

Mr. Majeke said the 250-strong South African contingent was escorted to a hotel where they will stay temporarily until they move to the Games Village. He refused to take questions following the “press conference” citing a prior medical appointment.