We ask our Gold Coast Olympians why the region is a haven for elite athletes

With 28 Aussie Olympians based on the Gold Coast, the region is proving to be a haven for elite athletes. SPECIAL REPORT

The facilities, weather, and lifestyle of the Gold Coast have created a perfect storm conducive to elite athletes.

That is the belief of the Coast Olympians who landed on home soil on Wednesday after spearheading Australia’s surge to it’s greatest ever Olympics gold medal haul in Paris.

Five golds and 14 medals all up were won by the 28 Gold Coast-based athletes that competed in Paris, plus men’s skateboarding park back-to-back gold medal hero Keegan Palmer hails from Currumbin but is now based in California.

It begs the question: what’s in the water on the Gold Coast?

The facilities no doubt play a role, given the Australian Institute of Sport’s canoe sprint, BMX, and triathlon programs all based out of Pizzey Park in Miami.

Renowned Australian swimming coaches Michael Bohl – who mentors both Kaylee McKeown and Emma McKeon – and Chris Mooney have also been running their elite swimming programs on the Gold Coast.

Throw in enviable weather all-year round and the active lifestyle that comes as a by-product of that, and you have an Olympic haven.

Read what the Gold Coast’s local Olympians had to say about the region below.

Flynn Southam (swimming): “I think the culture breeds success at the moment and with Brisbane 2032 coming up so soon I think everyone wants a piece of that pie.”

The Australian Mens 4x200 Mens Freestyle team of Max Giuliani, Flynn Southam (pictured), Elijah Winnington and Tommy Neill win Bronze during the Final at the Paris La Defense Arena Picture: Adam Head

Maximillian Giuliani (swimming): “I think we’ve got great facilities here and a lot of great coaches. It’s right on the beach … A great environment, great coaches equal great athletes.”

Lani Pallister (swimming): “I think the lifestyle and facilities are just beyond incredible. When you’re an athlete, you need life balance outside of the sport and having a lot of things to do on the Gold Coast makes finding that balance easier. There’s so many high performance hubs that work out of here and I think that’s a testament to why we race really well.”

Bree Masters (athletics): “For my sport, the weather is incredible for track and field, we like to perform and train and warmer climates and I guess that’s pretty similar for the water-based athletes as well. We have excellent facilities, an incredible academy in the QAS … and we have so much great talent in coaches and facilities to produce athletes. It’s looking really positive for Brisbane 2032.”

Bree Masters of Team Australia reacts during the Women's 100m Semi-Final on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Riley Fitzsimmons (canoe sprint): “I think it’s just the warm climate. We’re able to train all-year round.”

Thomas Green (canoe sprint): “If you have a look, even just around this Airport (now), there’s so many athletes from so many sports. It’s such a good spot, good location for sports. The weather’s always relatively great. The temperature’s always good. Athletes also like to surround themselves around greatness and the Gold Coast has so much great things about it as well as the other athletes that are here, it’s like a hive of activity.”

Arisa Trew (skateboarding): “I think Gold Coast produces a lot of great athletes because everyone here works hard and has fun.”

Saya Sakakibara Australian cyclist and Arisa Trew has won Olympic gold for Australia at the age of 14 with victory in the women's skateboard park final. OLYMPICS: Australian Team Arrival - Sydney Picture: Rohan Kelly

Jean van der Westhuyzen (canoe sprint): “Gold Coast is the best place to live just lifestyle-wise, it has good weather all-year round and good sporting facilities. Just a great place to train.”

Jackson Collins (canoe sprint): “It’s probably just the weather to be honest. You’ve got the best of both. You’ve got the beaches and the sun but you’re so close to so many footy fields and sporting clubs. I think it’s just a place with a really active lifestyle. People are out and about all the time, the weather on the Gold Coast makes you want to be outside.”