Ready, Willing And Able
Newcastle Herald
Monday October 23, 2000
SWANSEA teenager Adam Gardnir's first `real job' was scrutinised by a 90,000-strong live crowd and a TV audience of millions ? and he passed with flashing torches!
The 19-year-old is working with the team that devised and staged the opening ceremony of the Sydney Paralympic Games.
In his role as production assistant (or `legend' as the embroidery declares on his uniform), Gardnir will also have an integral role in organising the closing ceremony at Stadium Australia on Sunday.
The Merewether High graduate introduced himself to Paralympic ceremonies director Karen Richards at the after-show party for StarStruck '99.
Richards complimented him on his behind-the-scenes efforts at the schools spectacular ? he was part of the first student team to conceive and produce a StarStruck segment without adult input. Indeed, she was so impressed that Gardnir was asked to join her core staff for Sydney 2000.
The 11 members of the `internal production team', which oversees hundreds of volunteers, have been working on the Games' entertainment program since February.
While acknowledging his bias, Gardnir said the Paralympic opening, which involved 5500 performers and 4000 athletes, was `much better' than its Olympic equivalent. `And the closing will be something else again,' he laughed. But comparing the money spent on the Paralympic and Olympic ceremonies was like `comparing apples and grapes'.
`I think we had $5million, which was only about 10% of the Olympic budget,' said Gardnir, who shares a mobile phone to cut down on costs.
Gardnir did not give too much away about the Paralympic closing but he revealed that another 100,000 torches had been ordered for the crowd.
The closing would have a `circus atmosphere', with The Seekers due to perform their vintage hit The Carnival Is Over.
Seekers frontwoman Judith Durham is expected to sing from a wheelchair after breaking her hip in a fall.
© 2000 Newcastle Herald