IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry speaks at a press conference for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)
FILE - Philippines鈥 Mikaela Jaworski with horse Globe Platinum Leap of Faith clears an obstacle at a speed course during the equestrian individual qualifying event at 23rd South East Asian Games in suburban Alabang, south of Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
Next IOC president Kirsty Coventry hands over the baton in planning for Brisbane 2032 Olympics
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) 鈥 Kirsty Coventry has completed a ceremonial baton change before she takes over as International Olympic Committee president next month, handing off oversight of preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Games during a three-day inspection visit to southeast Queensland state.
IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry speaks at a press conference for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) 鈥 Kirsty Coventry has completed a ceremonial baton change before she takes over as International Olympic Committee president next month, handing off oversight of preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Games during a three-day inspection visit to southeast Queensland state.
replaced Coventry as head of the IOC鈥檚 coordination commission for the 2032 Summer Games after the Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe was in the sporting organization’s top job.
All three were part of the IOC team that met in Brisbane and the Gold Coast for their first on-the-ground update on from local organizers.
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鈥淚鈥檓 here to formally hand over the baton, or the Olympic flame ... boomerang!” Coventry said as she introduced Jaworski at an IOC coordination commission news conference Thursday at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. “I hope that I鈥檓 leaving some good vibes.鈥
Coventry made her Olympic competition debut at the Sydney 2000 Games and has family living in Australia. She said feels right at home after chairing the coordination commission since soon after the .
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about what Brisbane 2032 is going to do,” she said. “Not just for the region, but for Australia and for the world.鈥
It took more than 1,000 days and at least three before a newly elected Queensland state government settled on a comprehensive venue plan in March. That includes a new 60,000-seat stadium and an aquatics center to be built in parklands close to downtown Brisbane, as well as proposals to share events with regions outside the capital.
The surprising call to host rowing in a crocodile-inhabited river in Rockhampton on the central Queensland coast has attracted concern and criticism from the public and sports administrators.
Veteran IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said there’s time for local organizers and sports federations to consider all options and collaborate on specifics for venues, and there’s absolutely no need to panic with seven years until the Brisbane Games.
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鈥淣o one else but the federation can say the field of play is ready,鈥 he said, noting who had the final sign-off on sports venues as the planning for the Olympics evolve.
鈥淭he plan always changes, and generally they change for the better,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he question is not so much whether the plan has changed 鈥 it has 鈥 but is it a better plan? The answer is yes.”
, said venue construction is likely to begin later next year and he’s confident the main building program will be complete at least a year out from the Games.
Dubi said anyone doubting those predictions should look at the stage Sydney’s construction program was at seven years out from the 2000 Games, and what a landmark Olympic and Paralympic Games it turned out to be in Australia’s biggest city.
He said the selection of the Victoria Park site for the main stadium and aquatic center in Brisbane 鈥渋s an incredible location鈥 and followed the good example set by Paris 2024 organizers in staging Olympic events in close to inner-city landmarks.
鈥淪o if you ask me from an operational standpoint, it鈥檚 absolutely doable,鈥 Dubi said of Brisbane staging a memorable Olympics. 鈥淵ou have also this opportunity to have this venue and this number of spectators, hence creating that precinct atmosphere downtown, and that will be something incredibly special.鈥
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