Miss-Delectable
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Queen of the Pool lights flame to start Deaflympics
THE biggest Deaflympics in history are officially under way after the Deaf Queen of the Pool, Cindy-Lu Fitzpatrick, last night lit the flame to signal the start of the 20th Summer Games in Melbourne.
Fitzpatrick the winner of 19 Deaflympic gold medals and holder of 12 deaf world records in a 20-year career that ended in 1997 lit the flame that will blaze at the Olympic Park stadium for the next 12 days as Victoria hosts the largest multi-sport event of the year.
Most of the more than 3600 athletes from 94 countries were at Melbournes Olympic Park stadium last night for the twilight opening ceremony, held under threatening grey skies.
France, which hosted the first Deaflympics in 1924, was the first nation to enter the arena.
Australian basketballer Kim Kavanagh carried the national flag to lead the home team into the stadium.
Kavanagh has been named joint captain of the 228-member Australian team with athlete Dean Barton-Smith, who has come out of retirement for the Games in his home city.
Competition began earlier yesterday when Australias soccer team threw away a 1-0 lead at half-time to lose 1-3 to Greece.
Australian team spokeswoman Ms Katie Kelly said the home teams strengths were in athletics and swimming.
Australias best medal prospects include Barton-Smith, who is the deaf world record holder for the javelin with a throw of 70.58m, and is also a medal chance in the decathlon.http://www.bordermail.com.au/newsflow/pageitem?page_id=874294
