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Queensland launches most ambitious sporting talent program in Australia’s history

Queensland today launches the most ambitious sports talent identification program in Australia’s history, in the quest for Brisbane 2032 Games glory.

Brisbane Olympics will usher in a ‘golden age’ for Queensland

Tens of thousands of young Queenslanders will be targeted for specialised coaching in a rigorous two-year testing program to identify the promising athletes who could deliver a massive medal haul at Brisbane’s Olympic Games.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will today launch the most ambitious sports talent identification program in Australia’s history, the You For 2032 campaign, which will identify the young athletes most likely to deliver sporting glory for Australia.

From mid-April athletes will nominate their interest in the program before talent spotters start identifying attributes and the Olympic sport best suited to their skills.

About 50,000 potential athletes, who must be aged between 13 and 23 – or 13 and 30 for the Paralympics – are expected to be assessed.

Over two years 20,000 athletes will be tested across the state and their details collated in a massive database.

Coaches will assess an athletes’ height, pace, strength and potential before the final 400 are offered specialised coaching at the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Ms Palaszczuk said the program would give Australia the best chance at a major medal haul.

Gold Coast lifesaver Lucy Derbyshire is a 2032 Olympics ironman hopeful
Gold Coast lifesaver Lucy Derbyshire is a 2032 Olympics ironman hopeful
Sprinter Calab Law hopes to compete in Brisbane 2032.
Sprinter Calab Law hopes to compete in Brisbane 2032.

“Part of the reason to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is to provide the children of today the opportunity to compete in an Olympic and Paralympic Games on home soil,” she said.

“This is for those children swimming extra laps and running an extra lap on the school oval.”

Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the You for 2032 program would not be the only avenue for young athletes to receive support, but said it would catch talented people who could otherwise escape identification.

The academy of sport will work with schools to identify the potential of athletes, no matter what sport or physical activity they undertake.

“We’re not sitting back and waiting for these talented young people to come to us,” he said.

“This is to make sure we maximise the number of Queenslanders who can become podium-ready by 2032.”

Eleven new coaches with expertise in summer, winter and Olympic and Paralympic Sports have been secured by the Queensland Academy of Sport, and another 10 will be recruited in July.

The 11 coaches will be mentored by top Queensland and international coaches with a track record of inspiring athletes to medal-winning performances

Ms Palaszczuk will also officially open a new gym and sport science lab at the academy on Tuesday.

It includes a new gym, accessible equipment for Paralympic wheelchair users, new health suites for ultrasounds, physio and nutrition programs, and a state-of-the-art sport science lab.

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/seq-olympics-2032/queensland-launches-most-ambitious-sporting-talent-program-in-australias-history/news-story/42798faee73471231569fd641c0dd37a