AusCycling Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence based in Brisbane
The AusCycling Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence to be based at Queensland’s Sleeman Sports Complex in lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
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Queensland will be the new base for boom gold medal rush sports BMX and track cycling after the sport’s governing body announced it would relocate the new AusCycling Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence to Brisbane.
QAS AWARDS CEREMONY HIGHLIGHTS WORLD CLASS TALENT
The Centre of Excellence will be established in partnership with the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) as the state gears up to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Previously track cycling had been based in Adelaide.
Sports Minister Tim Mander said the decision was a further boon to Queensland in the build-up to the Games.
Mr Mander said both the Anna Meares Velodrome and Brisbane SX International were already world class facilities and pin-up examples of how existing infrastructure could be used for the Brisbane Olympics.
“Together with recent $1.5 million upgrades to the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre, they (AusCycling) continue to create even more opportunities for our future Olympians,” he said.
AusCycling Chief Executive Officer Marne Fechner said AusCycling was delighted to be strengthening its partnership with the QAS to create a world-leading facility and performance program.
“The recent performances of our action and acceleration athletes and staff at the Paris Olympics shows that we will be launching this Centre from a position of great strength,” Ms Fechner said.
AusCycling Executive General Manager of Performance Jesse Korf said the new Centre provided a brilliant opportunity to continue developing our elite athletes while nurturing the future generations of Australian stars in the velodrome and on the BMX tracks and ramps.
“This initiative will provide our track sprinters, BMX freestylers and BMX racers with access to world-class facilities which will be featured at the 2032 Olympic Games. They will also have the benefit of outstanding coaches, support staff and enhanced performance support,” Korf said.
Mr Mander said the Centre positioned Queensland strongly on the green and gold runway to
Brisbane 2032, and more sporting facilities could also soon base themselves in Queensland.
National program athletes, including Olympic gold medallist and BMX racer Saya Sakakibara and track sprinter Kristina Clonan, will relocate to Queensland from January 2025.
Clonan said she was excited to be relocating back to her home state of Queensland to join the new Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence.
“Personally, heading back to Queensland is fantastic for me as I’m from the Sunshine Coast, so this is a special opportunity to head home,” Clonan said.
“The QAS has incredible facilities and Anna Meares Velodrome is a world-class track, so to be able to train on that incredible velodrome full-time will be amazing.’’
The first athletes and staff involved in the Centre are expected to be inducted in January 2025.
AusCycling will retain a presence at Adelaide Super-Drome for its endurance and para-cycling programs.
The Sleeman centre BMX facilities enables all action and acceleration sports to be supported by the QAS in south-east Queensland, joining the BMX freestyle national program on the Gold Coast.
Queensland athletes Molly McGill, Ryan Elliott (both track cycling), Jesse Asmus and Teya Rufus (BMX) lauded the decision.
“It is a good opportunity for the cycling disciplines to be in the same spot at the same time, to be all together in the same environment heading into the next Olympics (LA, 2028) and Brisbane 2032,’’ said McGill, 23, who won a bronze medal in theteam sprint at the Track World Championships during October.
Elliott, aged 20, who won a silver medal in the team sprint at the 2024 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, said Brisbane’s consistent climate would give the national training squad an advantage because warmer was best for track cycling
He said the facilities, including the neighbouring QAS gym, were world class.
Jesse Asmus, who grew up in rural Chambers Flat, said the “the culture of having everyone here (training and competing) was a massive thing for us and the younger riders coming through.’’
Maryborough’s Rufus, 18, the UCI BMX Junior Women’s Championship, agreed it was great news.
Originally published as AusCycling Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence based in Brisbane
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