Brisbane shapes up as almost certain 2032 Olympic Games host

Australian and international athletes and organisers are growing increasingly confident Brisbane will win the Olympics as Annastacia Palaszczuk jets off for the final pitch.

The Olympic Games is Queensland’s to lose with athletes and organisers increasingly confident Brisbane is just days away from being announced as host of the 2032 event.

The Australian delegation, led by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, departed Sydney for Tokyo on Sunday evening just three days before the crucial International Olympic Committee vote.

From athletes to officials, there is a widespread belief Brisbane is almost certain to be awarded the Games on Wednesday evening with only a motion to delay the vote set to hamper Australia’s celebrations.

Australian Olympic beach volley ball gold medallist Natalie Cook says her athlete friends across the world were barracking for an Aussie games. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images for the AOC)

Queensland Olympic Council President and five-time Olympian Natalie Cook said momentum was with Australia leading into the crucial vote.

The gold-medallist beach volleyballer revealed she had been inundated with messages from athletes across the world hoping Queensland would be selected by the International Olympic Committee.

“The world wants a Brisbane Games,” Cook said.

“They’re texting me saying we can’t wait for Brisbane 2032.

“Anyone wants any excuse to come to Australia and what better excuse than an Olympic Games.”

In Tokyo, Australian Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said signs were pointing to a favourable result on Wednesday.

“My focus is entirely on the Australian team so I’m not sure what’s happening out there in IOC land, although I think everything is going as I understand particularly well,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, boards a plane to Sydney on route to Tokyo for the Olympics. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Australian Deputy Chef de Mission and proud Queenslander Susie O’Neill backed her city to host a home Olympics.

“I’d love to see the Games in Brisbane 2032,” she said.

“Hopefully we get the win.”

Ms Palaszczuk raised the stakes on Sunday when she declared Queensland would hold a better Olympic Games than Sydney 2000 – which is regarded among the greatest in the modern era.

The Premier‘s final message to the International Olympic Committee before the vote on Wednesday will be: “If you think Sydney was good, wait till you see us“.

Ongoing criticism about her trip meant Ms Palaszczuk departed without fanfare on Sunday, flying on the Queensland Government aircraft to Sydney before boarding a flight to Tokyo.

A petition calling for the Australian Border Force to refuse her application to leave the nation reached almost 132,000 signatures.

However, polling has revealed about 70 per cent of Queenslanders are backing the state’s Olympic bid.

Originally published as Brisbane shapes up as almost certain 2032 Olympic Games host