Everything is ready for celebrations and records

16.07.1971 (Padomju Jaunatne)

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT E. KEHRIS REPORTS FROM MOSCOW

On Wednesday morning, Latvian track and field athletes, weightlifters, sambo and classical wrestlers arrived in Moscow - a total of over 100 athletes. Well, we can say that our main forces have arrived at the site of the Spartakiad finals. At Riga station, the Soviet Latvian delegation was welcomed with salted bread, flowers and music by the Komsomol members of the First May District of Moscow, who had taken on the patronage of our athletes. At a rally at the station, the arrivals were greeted by the first secretary of the First May District Committee of the Latvian Communist Youth Union Vladimirs, the head of the delegation Rihards Eisbergs.

At the Spartakiad headquarters, located in the Zarya hotel, work is in full swing from morning until late at night. Everything possible is being done to ensure that athletes and coaches are completely free from various petty worries and chores. For example, the leaders of the track and field team, who had arrived in Moscow earlier and completed the necessary formalities with the mandate commission, filled out a registration form for each athlete at the hotel almost until dawn. As soon as the participants arrived, they could go straight to the assigned rooms. Train, rest, get ready to achieve record results.

There has been so much talk about the places that could be won and the planned points that, frankly, I'm tired. When asked about the forecasts, the coaches turn their heads to the side. Classical wrestling coach Halm Kogan said: "We don't have any sick people, but I'll tell you how we'll start on July 19."

After looking at the program, I made sure that the classical wrestling tournament ended the day before. The weightlifter leader Mihails Fraifelds, as usual, answered the journalists' questions with jokes. Then you can safely assume that everything is in order. Our heaviest and strongest men Artūrs Sliede and Kārlis Pumpuriņš  confirmed that all the weightlifters are healthy or almost healthy and in good spirits.

Various posters, photo newspapers, slogans and plans for cultural events are placed in the hotel lobby. Unofficially, it has been heard that the Spartakiad organizing committee is preparing to award or at least somehow recognize those delegations in which various recreational activities will be organized best. So far, it is said that the agitation seen in our team is at the highest level.

On their free days or hours, which are quite few, the athletes have already managed to visit the Palace of Congresses, the Chamber of Deputies, the "Seventh Heaven" television tower, and a Japanese variety show at the Sports Palace. 

Yesterday, the Latvian delegation, together with representatives of other republics, visited the Mausoleum of VI Lenin and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Ideological, political and mass recreational activities for athletes during the Spartakiad are organized by the Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Youth Union, which has established a special Spartakiad headquarters. Chefs from the First May District offer their program, then the athletes themselves express their wishes for what they would like to see in Moscow. This second half of the Spartakiad, which does not include medals and points, is known to our delegation's Komsomol organizer Gunārs Pelde, head of the mass protection and sports department of the Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Youth Union. So far, he has managed to satisfy all the athletes' wishes, because the participants of the Spartakiad - guests of Moscow - are welcomed everywhere, so to speak, without a queue, the doors are opened to them first.

Reading these lines, one should not imagine that the athletes have come to the capital just to have fun, to walk around the theaters. There are fewer pedestrians than those who would like to see everything. The athletes themselves, for the sake of future results, are trying to distance themselves from everything that could reduce their success in the decisive moment of the final competition.

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The day before yesterday, a dress rehearsal for the opening parade and mass exercises of the Spartakiad took place. The mass exercises, in which several thousand athletes and bodybuilders participate, are a magnificent performance. I thought it was more impressive than anything I had seen in any previous Spartakiad. The grand opening ceremony of the final competition will begin today at 18:30. It will also be seen on television screens.

For the first time, the Spartakiad leaf will burn at the VI Lenin Stadium. It will be lit at the Unknown Soldier's grave. Participants of a giant marathon race are approaching Moscow from Leningrad, who carry the fire lit in the furnace of the cruiser Aurora.

The track and field athletes will begin the qualifying competition for the new record at the Luzhniki Stadium at 10 a.m. The first medals in all relay races will be awarded in the evening after the opening ceremony of the Spartakiad.