Fireworks light up Taipei Stadium during the opening ceremonies of the 2009 Taipei Deaflympics in Taiwan on Sept. 5, 2009. (Photo by Jason Chiou)
Deaflympics closes with a bangGames comes to a close at lavish closing ceremonyby Leila Hanaumi and Sarah Segal on September 15, 2009 With the battle of the medals complete, the countries participating in the 2009 Taipei Deaflympics gathered at Taipei Stadium on Wednesday evening to celebrate the close of two weeks of sweat, tears and hard-won victories. Fireworks burst out of the stadium early Tuesday evening, launching the start of the Deaflympics closing ceremony. As the athletes streamed in and found their tables on the soccer field in the stadium, Turkish people led the crowd in, waving tambourines that beamed of red, blue and green. Multicolored lights danced atop the athletes’ heads as they congregated inside the track to dine together, feasting their eyes on dancers dressed as Taiwanese cuisine, Chinese dragons puffing smoke and acrobats making their way down the center of the floor. “Together as a family, our power is great” flowed across the Jumbotron, encapsulating the theme of the 2009 Deaflympics closing ceremony: unity. The President of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, Dr. Donalda Ammons, speaking as president for the last time, welcomed the athletes’ arrival by having each country stand up for a round of applause from the fans in the stands. A slideshow on the two Jumbotrons showcased memorable moments captured on tape, reenacting moments of pride and accomplishment. After athletes and fans watched the show, they were given a sneak peek of the future 2013 Deaflympics in Greece, followed by Greek dancing on the podium. At this point, the athletes began mingling and exchanging apparel. The American players who formerly were seen wearing red, white and blue daily during the Games suddenly sported various other colors. Finally, as the ceremony came to a close, everyone rose for the lowering of the Deaflympics flag. Ammons then motioned for the Deaflympic torch’s flames to dissolve as a drummer beat out a song underneath the fire. The crowd exclaimed as fireworks went off and Taiwanese pop sensation Aaron Wok took the stage with four back-up dancers. Wok sang “Power In Heart” and presented a dancing routine incorporating blue ribbons and sign language into his choreography to close the 2009 Deaflympics. The ceremony finale ended with confetti bursting into the stadium and an impressive fireworks display. As the smoke vanished into air, the 2009 Deaflympics concluded with the promise of a future return with as much energy, culture and life as filled the past 10 days. The Deaflympics flag will rise once more in Athens, Greece, in 2013, and again for many years to come. |
Latest News
Donate
|