Brisbane 2032: Athletes reveal wishlist items to make Games a dream

Three Brisbanites with 10 Olympic appearances between them have drawn on their Games experiences to highlight the dream inclusions that would make Brisbane 2032 the best ever, for athletes and spectators alike.

Stairs that turn into elevators, electric driverless cars in the Olympic village and accessibility for athletes and spectators alike have been outlined as three dreams ahead of Brisbane 2032.

Cate Campbell, Brenden Hall and Mariafe Artacho del Solar, three Brisbane residents with 10 Olympics between them, have drawn on their Games experiences to help design their city’s legacy.

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The trio said they were excited to see the infrastructure that came with the opportunity to host the world’s biggest sporting event – providing it catered to everyone’s needs.

Hall, a Paralympian of four Games, said Brisbane had “a lot” of areas it could improve.

The amputee swimmer who lost his right leg to chickenpox said some of the changes might seem marginal, but went a long way.

“I used to catch the train to university every day and while the trains are accessible, not all the stations are fully wheelchair friendly,” Hall said.

“Things like cafes, restaurants, hotels, shopping centres, walk paths. Getting around the city you start to nitpick things that people in wheelchairs aren’t able to navigate.”

Hall remembered being blown away by a London stairwell that with a push of a button converted into a ramp.

Australian Beach Volleyball player Mariafe Artacho del Solar with swimmers Brenden Hall and Cate Campbell in the rooftop pool at Crystalbrook Vincent at Howard Smith Wharves. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“I thought it was the greatest thing ever,” he said.

“Then you had Rio and it wasn’t accessible. They had makeshift ramps here and there. So not every city rises to the challenge.”

Fellow pool sensation and Games veteran Campbell recalled the Tokyo Olympic village with battery operated driver less cars.

“You could just jump on and off them. They were like little buses, super techy,” she said.

Campbell knows first-hand the hardship the disabled community face daily – her brother Hamish has cerebral palsy.

“One or two steps can be a huge barrier,” Campbell said.

“Brisbane has some wonderful areas that are wheelchair accessible, Southbank, all the river walks. My brother loves to ride the City Cat.

“I’m excited to see what Brisbane will do. And importantly, whenever something new is built. Accessibility is at the forefront.”

Beach volleyball star Artacho del Solar experienced some of those struggles only weeks ago through a planning oversight that left a negative impression.

“I actually came across a disabled car park and the driver was in an electric car park, but there was a gap between them and the charging point,” she said.

“About a three metre gap and he had no way of getting it. He had to wait for a stranger to help.”