International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach stumbles during visit to Brisbane school

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has given 2032 Olympics host Brisbane his seal of approval during a flying visit, but not before taking a dramatic tumble. SEE VIDEO

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has given 2032 Olympics host Brisbane his seal of approval during a flying visit, but not before taking a dramatic tumble.

Mr Bach, who won fencing gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, crashed heavily to the floor during a demonstration duel with young Queensland fencers at Yeronga State High on Saturday.

The 68-year-old carried on with the friendly bout briefly before declaring himself ‘absolutely okay’.

Flanked by fellow IOC heavyweights, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Mr Bach said preparations for the Games were going ‘extremely well’.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach stumbles during a fencing demonstration in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon. Picture: 7 News Brisbane

“You can see the enthusiasm and anticipation is very high,” he said.

“All lights are on green – we only have to wait 10 years.”

Asked what Queensland needed to do over the next decade to ensure a successful 2032 Olympics, Mr Bach said: “To keep this enthusiasm alive, to maintain this momentum. This is the most important thing.”

IOC Coordination Committee chair Kirsty Coventry, who has spent several days inspecting Queensland’s Olympics venues with other officials, said she had been ‘really impressed’ with the facilities and the people she had met.

“It’s just incredible the capacity that you already have,” she said.

“We’re really looking forward to this journey with everybody and building on a very solid foundation for the next 10 years.”

Ms Palaszczuk said there was ‘still a lot of work to do … (but) every single Queenslander should be filled with immense pride’.

Cr Schrinner said the youngsters taking part in the Brisbane Schools Teams Fencing Competition could be representing Australia at the Olympics come 2032.

“We’ll have a great home team, great facilities, great transport infrastructure and I’m excited,’ he said.

Thomas Bach declared himself ‘absolutely okay’ after stumbling during a fencing demonstration in Brisbane. Picture: 7 News Brisbane

Earlier, Mr Bach told the young fencers how he had wanted to play football but at the age of six, at the urging of his parents, he reluctantly took up the sport which took him to the pinnacle of Olympics glory.

He told the students to follow their sporting dreams, train hard and not give up but also counselled them that winning was not everything.

“It’s (the 2032 Olympics) a long way to go,” he said.

“You always have to stand up, even if you lose. In fencing, if you lose, it’s not the end of the world – you can win the next day.

“But also if you win, it does not mean you are a better human being. This is a good lesson in fencing, in sport and in life.”

The young fencers were also given an inspirational talk by Tokyo Olympians Matt Denny, Ria Thompson and Zac Stubblety-Cook to help whet their appetite for 2032.