2009 Summer Deaflympics - Closing Ceremonies

Closing Ceremonies

In a creative move, a banquet where 12 typical Taiwanese dishes were served at 350 tables dominated the closing ceremony for the 11-day event in Taipei. The parades, fireworks and arts performances usually seen at such events were also present, but played a secondary role. The menu for the banquet included peanuts from Yunlin County, beef noodles, pineapple cakes, highland tea, and mango shaved ice, accompanied by pearl milk tea and vinegar-based fruit drinks. Some of the foods had been seen at the September 5th opening in a plastic and cloth version during a show representing the best of Taiwanese cuisine and culture. While the athletes tucked into the local delicacies, the 14,000 members of the public were able to exchange their tickets for food valued at NT$200 per person.

Performances including Taiwanese opera from the famous Ming Hwa Yuan troupe, lion dances, drums, and three songs, including the closing theme song of the 2009 Deaflympics, from Aaron Kwok, a pop star from Hong Kong. He said with passion, "I witnessed a successful closing ceremony tonight. Just like I've said during the performance, the Deaflympics touches our heart and Taipei has touched the world." A movie was also presented depicting the athletic highlights of the 2009 Summer Deaflympics.

At the end, the flag was passed on to the Greek capital of Athens, the host of the 22nd Summer Deaflympics scheduled for 2013. The fourth Deaflympics in the Asia-Pacific region will also be preserved in history as the best ever for host Taiwan, which won 11 gold medals, 11 silvers and 11 bronzes. The country placed fifth for the number of medals won, with Russia coming first after collecting 29 golds, 40 silvers and 28 bronzes. Ukraine came second, South Korea third, and the People's Republic of China fourth.

Taiwan's strongest performances were on show in bowling, table tennis, and taekwondo, the Korean martial art that has also brought success to Taiwanese athletes at Olympic Games. One Taiwanese athlete alone, Chang Yao-chien, collected four golds in women's bowling. Nevertheless, the country still fell narrowly short of its self-set goal of 12 gold medals, which officials blamed on the limited source of talent available.

On the political side of the sporting event, the People's Republic of China announced earlier it would be present for the closing ceremony, after having missed the opening, widely thought to have been planned that way to avoid the presence of President Ma Ying-jeou. The team's deputy leader, Zhao Sujing, told reporters yesterday that the 78 Chinese participants had to come together in Beijing from all parts of China first, and that problems with airline ticketing had caused them to miss earlier flights to Taipei. However, more than ten athletes were to be present in Taiwan to participate in the closing ceremony. The People's Republic of China won 12 golds, nine silver and 17 bronze medals, or double its amount at the Melbourne Deaflympics four years ago. Praising the organization, International Committee of Sports for the Deaf President Donalda Ammons used sign language to say "the Taipei Deaflympics were the best ever."

She received the keys to Taipei and the honorary citizenship of the city from the hands of Mayor of Taipei Hau Lung-pin yesterday. He bestowed similar honors on other ICSD officials, including executive member and China team leader Yang Yang, the first-ever Chinese citizen to receive honorary citizenship in Taipei.

Overall, most regarded the ceremony as a success. The only "unwelcome intrusion to an otherwise perfect ending was the deportation of a Spanish athlete for alleged sexual harassment of a volunteer."