2032 Olympics: Artificial intelligence-powered app launched to discover new sporting talent

A new artificial intelligence program has launched to find untapped sporting talent in the state’s teenagers who will go on to form Australia’s 2032 Olympic squad. FIND OUT HOW

Teen athletes Hannah Dowd and Imogen Davies dream of competing in front of a home crowd at the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The pair, both 15, are part of a state government and Queensland Academy of Sport program looking for the next generation of athletes to develop ahead of the Games.

With seven years until the opening ceremony, they aim to give their all to be tapped for selection.

They were among more than 40 teenagers who were put through their paces on Tuesday morning at Carrara’s Sports and Leisure Centre as part of the Youfor2032 program.

Queensland athletes Hannah Dowd, 15, Imogen Davies, 15, Jack Howell, 21 and Alirah Norris, 15 with Olympian Giaan Rooney at the 'YouFor2032' talent ID program at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“It is about helping people see what it is like to test and see what sports you might be good for in the Olympics,” Hannah said.

Both girls, from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, are aerial skiers but performed numerous tests to determine their suitability for a range of sports, including skiing, diving and rowing.

“It is very exciting and a home crowd would be so awesome to be a part of and a great vibe,” Imogen said.

The Youfor2032 program is open to Queenslanders aged 13 to 23 for Olympic Sports and 13 to 30 years for Para sports.

Youth athletes showed off what they could do. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The government and QAS used the Carrara event to launch a new app which uses artificial intelligence to assess the abilities of young people who can take virtual tests.

The results recorded by the app are reviewed by the QAS, with those showing the highest potential invited to in-person testing sessions.

More than 2000 people have already been selected through the program, which looks at 17 sports, with testing sessions held in 40 locations across the state, including the Gold Coast.

The program is aimed at getting young people with talent noticed Picture: Nigel Hallett

Gold Coast-based Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney, who won gold and silver at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Games, described the app as a “game changing moment” for sports.

“The next decade in our state is full of opportunity for our future sporting stars, and this is about breaking down barriers so that all athletes, no matter where they live, have the chance to be discovered,” she said.

“From the Gold Coast to Chinchilla and all the way north to Torres Strait, every young Queenslander with a dream of competing on the world stage will now have even greater access to make that dream a reality.”

Tim Mander was also put through his paces at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Olympics Minister Tim Mander said he hoped to see a large number of locals taking part in the Games.

“We want the 2032 Games to be our most successful ever and one of the ways that we can do that is make sure that we identify the talent that we have in this state to make sure that we can produce the best athletes,” he said.

“And of course that’s what Youfor2032 is all about and that program has already been very successful.

“We want to make sure that everybody in this state, no matter where they live, can experience the Games.”