Olympics golden girl Natalie Cook gets Queensland ‘Games-ready’

Five-time Olympian Natalie Cook has been appointed to a key position as Queensland’s planned bid for the 2032 Olympic Games gathers momentum.

OLYMPICS legend Natalie Cook has been appointed the Athlete Ambassador for Queensland the push to secure the 2032 Games gathers speed.

Five-time Olympic beach volleyballer and Sydney 2000 gold medal winner Cook will join the Queensland Academy of Sport as executive director of elite success and partnerships as the state gets “Olympic-ready”, sport minister Mick de Brenni said.

Cook’s remit is to help inspire a new generation of sports stars and get Queensland kids moving.

The SEQ Council of Mayors proposed a Games bid to fast-track new roads and rail with a feasibility study which gathered momentum on the back of The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail’s Future SEQ campaign.

In June, The Courier-Mail and sister SEQ mastheads officially backed the bid with front page editorials.

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Olympic gold medallist Natalie Cook. Picture: Jack Tran

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last month announced Queensland was going for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics, won over by projections showing billions of dollars extra would pour into the state economy and create another 129,000 jobs on the back of the Games.

“Nat is an Australian sports legend, whose achievements make us extremely proud, not only because of wins like the gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but because of her unwavering commitment to promoting sport both here and overseas,” Mr de Brenni said.

“Having worn the green and gold at five Olympic Games and built her own business, I can’t think of a better Queenslander to energise our elite athletes and inspire them to the podium at Tokyo in six months.”

Cook’s appointment is part of a push for elite success in Activate! Queensland 2019-2029, the State’s first 10-year strategy to help make physical activity a way of life for more Queenslanders.

“We’re investing $44.5 million over three years to deliver innovative high-performance programs to give our athletes a competitive edge, including upgrades to the QAS gym that will make it the best in Australia,” Mr de Brenni said.

“Queensland’s going to be truly Olympic-ready — we’ll have the best facilities, the best programs, and the best team — both out competing and behind the scenes.”