Struan 1964 - Adm.monash.edu.au

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• TRIBUTE TO LAURIE PECKHAM - OUR OLYMPIAN, 1964
TOKYO - 1964
If the Japanese set out to ensure that the 18th Olympiad w ould be th e
most o uts ta nd ing ever they cer tainly w ere successf ul. The p lanning was superb.
There we re sufficient attendants, gu ide s and pol ice to afford co mplete, com ­
fortabl e cont ro l wi thou t ever becoming obtru siv e.
All v isito rs were treated w i t h the utmost friendl ine ss and hospitality
greeted us ever y where. The Japanese girl s in particul ar made us very w elco me
and entreat ed us to co r respond w it h them o n our return.
The attention to detail w as not limi ted to the Stadium w hich was a real
show-p iece. Training venues we re establ ished in all the v illages around and
the schedu les f or d ifferent coun tries to use them w ere p repared wi th complete
fa irnes s.
The accom mo dat ion showed det ailed pl anning and suppl ied all that we
required , even to the provi sion of lon g beds wi t h an extra piece of mattress.
.. O nce in a track suit all raci al pett ine ss was dropped and one w as merely
a co m pet itor . Thi s applied to all nati on s and no p r iv ileges w ere sough t by
anyon e.
The clos ing ceremon y wa s most mo ving. I am sure everyo ne had a lump
in h is throat as he stood in the middle of the aren a kn owing that for 1964 the
games were nearl y over. Mo re th an anything el se th e closing of the Games
made me determined to get to Me xi co in 1968 .
-LAURIE PECKHAM
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