The Soviet minister of sport says his athletes will win in boxing and wrestling events at the Goodwill Games, but gives Americans the edge in swimming and track and field.
"I would like to admit that our athletes and coaches have been training hard," Nikolai Rusak said Monday night after arriving with the first planeload of athletes from Moscow. "We expect good competition and we are ready to show best results."The first plane carried 132 people, including Soviet swimmers, gymnasts, volleyball and water polo competitors and others who came to view the Olympic-style games.
The arrival of a second plane, originally expected Monday night, was postponed until today, games spokesman Steve Smith said. That plane was expected to carry about 130 athletes, plus 55 other Soviet visitors who will be hosted in local homes.
More than 2,000 Soviets - athletes, citizens and officials - are expected to arrive on 29 Aeroflot charters for the July 20-Aug. 5 games.
The games are expected to draw 2,500 athletes from 50 countries and bring an estimated 60,000 out-of-state visitors to Washington.
They feature 21 events in Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Kennewick, Enumclaw, Redmond and Federal Way.
Games officials announced Monday that first lady Barbara Bush will speak Thursday to a rally for games volunteers at Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center. She will be joined by Jean Gardner, wife of Washington Gov. Booth Gardner. Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Steve Largent will be master of ceremonies for the show.
"I'm pretty positive about our performance in the Goodwill Games," said Alexei Matveev, the Soviet national champion in the 100-meter breaststroke.
Matveev said he is ranked second in the world in his event but wants to see the competition before he makes any predictions about his finish in Seattle.
Athletes arriving on the first plane were exhausted, Matveev said, because their flight was four hours late leaving Moscow and poor weather forced it to skip a refueling stop in Murmansk, just east of the Finnish border.
"It's a great moment," games organizer Bob Walsh said as Rusak passed through Customs and stepped through the terminal door to be greeted by a throng of Goodwill Games hosts, interpreters and well-wishers.