Opening’s Enthusiasm Helps Smooth the Stadium’s Rough Edges

Fidel Castro opened a Pan American Games on Friday that has strained his impoverished, isolated nation but impressed visitors from throughout the hemisphere.

New arenas and stadiums pierced the decaying skyline of Havana as athletes from 39 countries joined in a festive opening ceremony that emphasized peace, not politics.

Castro stood among them in the new track stadium, relishing the achievement of his people at a time when food, fuel and hard cash are in particularly short supply. Cuba spent at least $100 million on the new facilities.

The 35,000-seat Pan American Stadium had an unfinished look to it, with wires sticking out where sockets should be, water dripping underneath the stadium and signs of shoddy workmanship everywhere.

That did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, which waved flags, chanted “Cuba, Cuba.” The well-choreographed ceremonies featured acrobats, gymnasts, reenactments of periods in Cuban history, color-coordinated card displays of slogans and images connected with the games, and lots of music. The public address system, with its announcements and music, was broadcast over loudspeakers downtown, although few people were paying attention.

The two-hour ceremonies ended when high jump world record holder Javier Sotomayor rode an escalator to the top of a platform and lit the games’ torch. An early evening rainstorm held off long enough for the ceremonies to end, but provided a dramatic backdrop of lightning and thunder as the athletes left the stadium.

Joe Vigil, the U.S. men’s track coach, walked out to the stadium at midnight a few hours after he arrived Thursday night.

“It was a tremendous feeling,” he said. “I think the Cubans are to be commended. We can’t find a facility for track like that in the United States for its totality.”

Vigil was among many Americans who praised their hosts. Karen Dennis, women’s head track coach, came to Cuba in April after hearing “a lot of war stories” about the poor living conditions the athletes would have to endure.

“I left here impressed. The hospitality was very good then and is now,” she said. “I have never seen such a hard-working group make the conditions first class as they are now.”

Robert Helmick, president of the U.S. Olympic Committee, recalled meeting with Castro about five years ago and learning more about his interest in sports.

“He was very excited to explain to me that he had just celebrated a birthday and went skin-diving to the same depth in feet as the number of years he was old,” Helmick said. “He said he was 65, but my memory or his memory could have been off a bit.”

Castro’s age is officially listed as 64.

Evie Dennis, the chief of mission of the more than 700-strong U.S. delegation, said Castro told her not long ago about the 800,000 bicycles he was buying to fight the fuel problem and keep his people healthy.

“So my director of international sports said to him, ‘Could I have 25 of those bicycles to use in the village?’ ” she said. “Yesterday they arrived. This morning as I left the village they had assembled about 10 and they were lining them up on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, we will have to leave them here. We can’t take them back with us. But it certainly will help me get up the hill a little better.”

Helmick said the entire delegation is very aware that Cubans are “making a lot of personal sacrifices for our athletes in the games.”

“Our athletes have read about this,” he said. “They also tell us of the experience in their contact with the Cuban people--the warmth, the feeling, and the desire of the Cuban people to make us feel welcome. We are very appreciative of that.”

“We are not here for any reason related to governments or social or economic systems. We’re here simply with the youth of our country to participate with the youth of 38 countries throughout this hemisphere. That’s what this competition is about.”

Jim Schreiner, a kayaker battling multiple sclerosis in his legs, carried the American flag.

“It’s a great honor,” said the 26-year-old from Day, N.Y. He said he wasn’t worried about walking in the procession, adding, “If I had to run with the flag, that would be a different story.”