‘Qld spirit at the core’: Top Games officials tour SEQ Olympic sites

Queensland has turned it on for top 2032 Games officials as they visited the river city at sunset to see the famous Brisbane sign following their first day of in-country meetings.

The Brisbane 2032 Coordination Commission, Brisbane 2032 President Andrew Liveris, Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski Brisbane 2032 IOC Coordination Chair, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, IOC President Thomas Bach, IOC President Elect Kirsty Coventry and Brisbane 2032 CEO Cindy Hook tour the newly refreshed Brisbane sign at Southbank. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Top 2032 Games officials got to see the river city sparkle with a sunset visit to the famous Brisbane sign following their first official day of in-country meetings.

The International Olympic Committee’s Brisbane 2032 Coordination Commission and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee have gathered together in the river city this week for the first time since it was named as host in 2021.

In her opening remarks at Tuesday’s first meeting, newly appointed Coordination Commission Chair Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski spoke of her personal connection and love of Brisbane, where she spent time training for equestrian.

“I have great memories of training and competing all around Australia, and very fond memories of living in the Brisbane Showgrounds … cherishing every moment of my youth,” she said.

The Brisbane 2032 Coordination Commission, Brisbane 2032 Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski Brisbane 2032 IOC Coordination Chair tour the newly refreshed Brisbane sign at Southbank., Picture: Nigel Hallett

“It really warms my heart to know that in just about seven years, the same place is going to host the athletes of the world.”

IOC President Elect Kirsty Coventry said she first experienced Australia’s love of sport and swimming walking out in front of 14,000 people at the Sydney 2000 Games.

She said she wanted to capture that same feeling for those that come to Brisbane in 2032.

“Ensure also that at the heart of the (Organising Committees for the Olympic Games) and the delivery of the games, that true Aussie, Queensland, Brissie spirit remains at the core, so that when the world comes to visit, they feel as welcomed as we all do,” she said.

The Commission is expected to continue meetings and tour sites in Brisbane and the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

Originally published as ‘Qld spirit at the core’: Top Games officials tour SEQ Olympic sites