TICKET TO PRIDE
SPORTS fans hoping to cheer Australian athletes on to Commonwealth Games gold can still grab tickets to some of the showpiece events.
Seats to the men’s and women’s 100m finals are among 185,000 remaining to be filled.
ONE of the iconic moments of the Commonwealth Games will unfold on April 9 – and you still have the chance to witness it in the flesh.
In a scenario that has surprised Games organisers, tickets remain available for track and field’s first Super Final that will feature the marquee men’s and women’s 100m finals.
They will be among six gold medals decided at Carrara Stadium that night, with Category A and B tickets from $100 still up for grabs.
They are among 185,000 seats waiting to be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with a GOLDOC spokesman confident every one of the total 1.2 million Games tickets will eventually be snapped up.
“We are tracking well against expectations and are confident of full venues at Games time,” he said.
“We expect there will be an incredible atmosphere on the Gold Coast and throughout the event cities of Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns.”
While the only options that remain for hockey and rugby 7s fans are preliminary clashes, there are still countless chances to see the historic moment an athlete is crowned as a Commonwealth champion.
These include finals in badminton, squash, lawn bowls, table tennis, boxing, para powerlifting, weightlifting and wrestling.
Tickets are also available for seven sessions of track and field, including three nights of finals.
“While we can’t disclose specific ticket numbers for particular events, there are still great seats available,” the GOLDOC spokesman said.
Sold-out events include the opening ceremony, basketball, beach volleyball, diving, gymnastics, netball and swimming.
Allocated seating for triathlon and mountain biking has also been snapped up, although those who missed out will still be able to watch the action unfold from free vantage points.
Other free events include the marathon, race walking and road cycling.
Meanwhile, GOLDOC boss Mark Peters has highlighted the city’s recent road upgrades in responding to speculation about the potential impact of the Games.
With Games chairman Peter Beattie having told locals they needed to “suck it up” when it came to possible disruptions, his chief executive said the event had delivered projects such as the widening of Bundall Rd, the Gooding Drive roundabout upgrade and extension of the light rail.
“Those things wouldn’t have happened without the Games being here,” he said.
“The State Government has invested $160 million just in road upgrades ... we’re saying ‘How fantastic is this’.
“We understand a whole lot of people are putting us under the microscope and sometimes there are a lot of people who would be regarded in the minority who make comments.
“We take them on-board but the silent majority are absolutely embracing what we’re doing.”
Mr Peters was speaking after welcoming 130 Griffith University students who will work on the Games as part of a 12-week internship program.
“They are treated exactly the same as being a member of our team,” he said.
“This is actually putting them in the planning process so they understand how it works ... (and) can contribute.
“It’s very practical and we think it will be absolutely inspiring.”