Runaway success for world’s best
A GOLD Coast sports centre has been inundated with international Olympians using it as a training base, thanks to a $5.5 million upgrade.
World-class sportspeople have descended on Runaway Bay’s Sports Super Centre following a major track and field upgrade, a $350,000 overhaul of its 50m pool and installation of an internationally certified hockey field.
Since completion two months ago, the centre and its 300-plus room accommodation centre have hosted a steady stream of national and international teams and athletes, with more to come.
The Australian men’s boxing team, Samoan sevens rugby side, Malaysian men’s hockey players and Australian 400m runner Morgan Mitchell all trained there ahead of the Olympics.
The Junior All Blacks and junior English rugby league sides plus the Gold Coast Ti-
tans development squad have also had training camps at the centre.
Gold Coast world champion hurdler Sally Pearson, who has missed the Olympics due to injury, plans to make the centre her training base in the lead-up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Centre director Brendan Flynn said the popularity of the facilities since the State Government-funded upgrade was exciting.
A big plus for the centre was its status as a Commonwealth Games official training venue for hockey, beach volleyball and triathlon.
“We are in discussions with the Australian Commonwealth Games track and field team to have exclusive use prior to and during the Commonwealth Games,” Mr Flynn said.
“With these Gold Coast facilities married with the Gold Coast climate, there is no place better to train.
“The ability for athletes to get a consistent block of training in is crucial to their development and we are providing that.”