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Gay Games ends in tears, and cheers

With fanfare and emotion, the 1998 Gay Games ended in Amsterdam on Saturday as tens of thousands of athletes gathered for a last round of dancing and freewheeling celebration.

On a hot summer night, upto 28,000 people thronged the Arena Stadium for the bash that ended the week-long Olympics-style games spotlighting gay athletes, culture, and boisterous street parties.

Sniffling and teary-eyed, participants bid farewell yesterday to each other, promising to meet up again at the next Gay Games in the 2002 in Sydney, Australia.

Kicking off the closing ceremony, jubilant and dancing athletes entered the stadium and ran the gauntlet of flag-waving supporters.

With rave music pounding in the background, same-sex couples entered hand in hand while transvestites in cheerleader outfits bobbed to the beat, their pom-poms swaying in the air.

"Jesus loves us'' read one poster raised by an athlete. "Out and proud in Zimbabwe,'' read another.

"I am crying. This is brilliant,'' said tennis competitor Dominic James of London.

"I came with no expectation except for a game of tennis,'' he said. Instead, he walked away with a second place in mixed doubles, and a new best friend.

The mirth contrasted with the sombre moments of the previous days, when financial woes threatened to end the games, which have attracted 15,000 competitors and even more visitors.