Far North embraces
Officials tip post-Olympic junior boost
ASPIRING Far North athletes have been within touching distance of the real Olympic dream as hundreds of Australian athletes round off preparations for the Tokyo Games.
Cairns has provided the perfect launching pad for some of the biggest Aussie stars ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony – including swimming royalty Kaylee McKeown, Ariarne Titmus and Bronte and Cate Campbell, and Australia’s fastest sprinter Rohan Browning – with local clubs predicting a 30 per cent jump in participation rates as a result of the experience.
Far North Queensland swimming president Jim Greatorex said having the Australian Dolphins rubbing shoulders with the region’s upand-coming talent “had been huge”.
“For Swimming Australia to bring them here for training in the lead-up to the Olympics, you can’t buy that experience,” he said.
“Regionally, to have the international superstars of the sport training and accessible to us, that gives motivation and inspiration to not only our swimmers but our coaches and officials that they can do it, too.
“We have felt a part of Australia’s Olympic journey.”
Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning said having so many athletes in the city ahead of the Games “flew under the radar” but had created a “genuine buzz” across the region.
He said giant screens and live sites would be set up on the Esplanade for the duration of the event from July 23 to August 8 for fans to catch all the action.
“Having the athletes here has been incredible and they would not come here if the facilities weren’t up to scratch,” he said.
“One of the great experiences in life as a kid was being able to see and touch one of your heroes for the first time.
“Our kids have been able to experience that and we’ve embraced the Olympic spirit,” he said.
Cairns Athletics president Raelene Henry – whose daughter, Piper, is an aspiring track athlete – said a “great hush” would descend on Barlow Park when Australia’s 100m sprint hope Browning took to the track.
“When you have the fastest Australian male runner on the track the whole place just stops,” she said.
“I can’t even describe it, everyone is on the hook and on a high just to watch it.
“It’s so inspiring for our kids and it has added to the anticipation for the Olympics.”
Mr Greatorex said they were expecting a huge uptake in swimming thanks to the “Olympic cycle”.
“Junior sport is a competitive market for our children, so to have the superstars of swimming here leading up to and through the Olympics, we hope to see a 30 per cent increase in attracting and retention (of juniors) post Games,” he said.