The Australian flag was raised in the Mountain Village at the Sochi Paralympic Games late on Tuesday amid Russian fanfare and tradition.
Australia’s nine athletes, two sighted guides, Chef de Mission Chris Nunn along with Australian Paralympic Committee President Glenn Tasker and CEO Jason Hellwig were treated to five female Russian drummers announcing the arrival of the Village Mayor, Sergey Shilov.
After the welcome ceremony three Australian athletes Jess Gallagher, Toby Kane and Tori Pendergast were invited to sign the `Welcome Wall’. It was erected in support of the United Nations convention for the rights of people with disabilities.
Nunn said the Village welcome ceremony was where national pride and competitive spirit came together. “Particularly for athletes who haven’t been to a Games before, to have them come in and experience the euphoria of being part of a Games Village, it’s a very special moment,’’ Nunn commented.
For the Australian team, it had been a frustrating 24 hours leading up to the flag-raising ceremony with several athletes not having all their luggage arrive in Sochi. But just hours before the festivities started, all the Australians’ items of missing gear had been located.
“We’re absolutely delighted,’’ Nunn said. “Our ski technicians especially as we had $10,000 worth of (ski) wax just sitting on some airport trailer that we now have back again to prepare our athletes for the (racing) hill.”