Cairns Mayor questions city’s ability to host world sporting event

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning has raised concerns about the city’s ability to host the World Athletics Championship, after it emerged as a shock leader in the race for the premier sporting event.

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning has raised concerns about the city’s ability to host the World Athletics Championship, after it emerged as a shock leader in the race for the premier sporting event.

The announcement of Brisbane as the official preferred partner for the 2032 Olympic Games last week triggered a bidding war between the states for the biggest and best lead-up events — and they don’t come much bigger than the World ­Athletics Championships.

While a recent report earmarked Cairns as an early favourite to host the mega sporting event over Australia’s richer state capitals, Cr Manning said he knew nothing about it and found it “hard to give much credence to”.

“I don’t think there’s any chance in the world of us having that — I don’t think there’d be a snowflake’s chance in hell,” he said.

Australian Athletics member Alex Beck training at Barlow Park preparing for the IAAF World Athletics Championships PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

“We just haven’t got the facilities. I mean, you can’t just run these things from schoolyards. I would find that very hard to believe that we could do it. Somebody’s getting ahead of themselves.”

Cairns has an international-standard athletics track at Barlow Park, upgraded to meet such requirements in 2002 at a cost of more than $2 million.

But Cr Manning questioned its ability to host the worldwide sporting event in its current state.

“We don’t really have any great track and field facilities here,” he said.

“Barlow Park’s certainly not going to carry the world championships. You’ve got to do better than that.”

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Australian Athletics member Kristie Edwards training at Barlow Park preparing for the IAAF World Athletics Championships PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

Athletics Australia CEO Darren Gocher said it was “incredibly exciting” that Australia was in the running to host the World Athletics Championships, and confirmed Cairns as a potential host city.

“Athletics Australia is ­currently speaking to World Athletics about a number of cities, including Cairns, and we’re looking forward to hearing the final outcome,” ­Gocher said.–

Recent rule changes by the sports’ international governing body will ensure all regions in the world get a chance to host the event.

Under the new rotation system, Oceania and Africa will get 2025 and 2027.

Australia is believed to be the unanimous choice for Oceania, regardless of whether it’s 2025 or 2027, with the states expected to enter a bidding war to land the big prize.

The event must be held mid-year to fit in with the northern hemisphere summer, but with Australia’s biggest sporting codes in full swing and the biggest stadiums usually booked during that part of the year, Cairns could be a logical option.

Originally published as Cairns Mayor questions city’s ability to host world sporting event