Gold Coast surf lifesaving stars back Queensland’s 2032 Olympics bid
Some of the Gold Coast’s unsung heroes have thrown their support behind Queensland’s 2032 Olympics bid - as their own sport gains momentum.
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GOLD Coast surf life saving stars have thrown their support behind Queensland’s 2032 Olympics bid as their sport gains momentum as a mooted demonstration event.
Queensland took a step closer to make history this week when state cabinet signed off on plans to make an official bid for the 2032 games.
With the Gold Coast set to play a crucial role in any Olympics plans, surf life saving could find itself on an international stage with the sport being considered as a demonstration sport.
TJ Hendy, who doubles as one of Surfers Paradise SLSC’s patrol captains, believes a potential Olympic berth would be the perfect reward for athletes who volunteer to protect their community.
“There’s not many sports that can have such an impact on the world as our sport,” he said.
“Anywhere surrounded by water, our sport has an impact on.
“It’s something that we’re leading the way in so bringing it into the Olympics would be beneficial to everyone, not just us.
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“If you want to compete for your country, the Olympics is the pinnacle for competing for Australia.”
Kurrawa surf star Matt Bevilacqua told the Bulletin in May that an Olympic appearance could be just what the sport needs to catapult itself back onto the national sporting stage.
“It would mean the world to current athletes even if we’re not around competing in 2032,” he said.
“We want this sport to leave a legacy.
“It deserves to be there because it’s so hotly contested and we have athletes around the world who are all great iron men and women so it makes sense to pit them against each other.”
Bevilacqua was part of the surf life saving demonstration event for delegates and International Olympic Committee officials at the international SportsAccord summit on the Gold Coast held earlier this year.
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It comes as the Gold Coast prepares to host the 2024 World Surf Life Saving Championships at Broadbeach, the first time in 40 years the event will be staged in Queensland.
Australian surf life savers currently have the opportunity to represent their country at events like the World Championships as well as the Sanyo Cup and International Surf Rescue Challenge.
After helping Australia to their 12th straight Sanyo Cup win earlier this year, Surfers Paradise ironwoman Bay Wildin-Snedden said that her sport deserved Olympic recognition.
“That was an amazing experience to be able to put on the green and gold and represent my country,” she said.
“To be able to do that at the Olympics and even in your home city would be pretty special.
“We do so much training and there’s a lot of disciplines which I think goes unrecognised against some of the bigger sports.”
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