State government pledge ‘record investment into Toowoomba sporting infrastructure’ ahead of 2032 Olympics

More than 100 Toowoomba school students have had their say on the State Government’s 10-year strategy for sport ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Living in Toowoomba, year 12 student Aaliyah Kimmins knows first-hand the struggles young athletes living in regional areas face.

A track athlete from The Glennie School, Aaliyah is no stranger to travelling hours to compete in her chosen field while forking out hundreds of dollars for uniforms and accommodation.

Aaliyah was one of more than a hundred Toowoomba school students who met with Queensland Sport and Racing Minister Tim Mander and Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts last Friday as part of the state government’s plans to develop a 10-year strategy for sport ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

The strategy aims to improve infrastructure and pathways for athletes with significant investments planned to support grassroots and regional sports development while addressing barriers such as cost and facility access.

“Today we were here engaging with students as we try to develop a strategy for sport for the next 10 years, the question we asked was what does 2032 mean to you,” Mr Mander said.

“We are on the cusp of a great opportunity in this state with a little over seven years to go until the games come not just to Brisbane but the whole state and Toowoomba.

“Toowoomba will be at the forefront of the games with the equestrian events here and we want everyone to experience the games but we also want to make sure we leverage off the games to have as many people involved with community sport and more active than they might be at the moment.

“We asked the students what some of the barriers to being involved in sport are and how do we overcome them?”

State Member for Toowoomba North Trevor Watts and Minister for Sport and Racing Tim Mander

Ryleigh Parsons, who competes in swimming and cross country, said a lack of local facilities was having an adverse effect on country athletes.

“With swimming it is hard trying to get good coaches because they prefer to stay in Brisbane, swimming is a 50m pool sport and we only have two – Milne Bay and Gatton – I’d like to see a 50m pool a bit closer,” she said.

“I feel by 2032 being the future of sport our age group will be participating in the Olympics.

“It would be excellent to have access to training facilities, it is like having a university here and not having to move to Brisbane, it would be great to stay here and have family and friend support.”

Aaliyah echoed this.

“A lot of meets aren’t in Toowoomba, you have to travel and you have to buy uniforms and get accommodations and its expensive,” she said.

“A 400m track would be good and more local coaches as well.

“It would really help with the costs of travel and it would help with balancing school because sometimes it feels like your sacrificing one for the other and as someone who wants to get good grades but excel in their sport it is hard.”

Mr Watts said the lack of facilities and available pathways was an issue that needed to be addressed.

“One student told us they were getting back mid week at midnight from having to train in Brisbane because the facilities and pathway don’t exist in Toowoomba,” he said.

Toowoomba doesn’t have publicly available full size 400m track anywhere so anyone who is serious about track and field has to move to Brisbane to compete because they can’t get to that elite level in Toowoomba and that’s something I’d like to see fixed.”

Mr Mander said the state-government would be making investment announcements this week.

“It’s a comprehensive strategy that will look at facility upgrades, elite pathways, how we can encourage people to get into sport and how do we get people more active generally,” Mr Mander said.

“The activity levels are not where we think they should be and we all know the benefits that come from being active both physically and mentally.

“It is also a good way to engage young people, we have some youth justice issues at the moment so if we can get young people actively involved in positive things that will help in that area.

“We have our budget being delivered next week so you will see some of those outcomes there.

“We are making record investment into sporting infrastructure in our communities, it's important we get the grassroots right if we want to see the elite level performers succeed.”