World titles bid on track

THE Gold Coast will bid to host the World Athletics Championships as the city moves to reposition itself as a sporting events city.

A week after former Olympic great Sebastian Coe said Queensland would be an ideal host for the international event, the Bulletin has learned the Gold Coast City Council and State Government held talks during the final days of the Commonwealth Games to host the 2025 event.

Mayor Tom Tate and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk discussed the bid, which is expected to be spearheaded by the local and State Government, as well as Tourism and Events Queensland.

The bid will need to be finalised within two years.

Cr Tate, who is in London spruiking the Gold Coast to top-level British political and business leaders, said he had become convinced of the idea after speaking with Sebastian Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations and watching the city’s facilities in action during the Games.

“The success of the Games has convinced me to look at other world events such as the World Athletics Championship. We can handle it at a breeze, we have the infrastructure and the great volunteers so the pride will carry on,” he said.

“I will work hard with the Premier to do what is required from our side of things but I want to put up our hand for it.

“Sebastian Coe knows all about athletes, being a legend, and if he has spoken in our favour then we are in with a good chance.”

Lord Coe last week said the Gold Coast would potentially be able to host the event.

“We have to be far more strategic about how we grow the sport and where we take it and who we partner with,” he said. “For us, (it is about) making sure that every time we have a world championships, we are able to take it to a place that is going to drive our sport.”

If successful, the event would likely be held in August or September and be held within existing infrastructure previously used for the Games, including Metricon Stadium.

At last year’s London event, where Gold Coaster Sally Pearson won gold in the 100m hurdles, a record 600,000 tickets were sold, around half that of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

The Mayor said other sporting bids would be forthcoming in the aftermath of the Games.

“You will see in time the sporting calendar will increase not just in volume but in quality,” he said. “We want world class events here.”