Brisbane awarded the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Australians are tonight celebrating after Queensland officially secured the hosting rights for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the world’s biggest sporting events.

As our best athletes are ready to represent Australia at the delayed Tokyo Games, young children all across the country will now follow their performances even more closely and dream of emulating them in 11 years’ time on home soil, surrounded by family and friends.

The Games will come to Australia for the third time, after Melbourne 1956 delivered an historical first edition of the event in the Southern Hemisphere and Sydney 2000 established a benchmark of success for hosts to come. Now the International Olympic Committee (IOC) And the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have awarded Brisbane another opportunity to showcase the best of Queensland after the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with events held in Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and North Queensland.

Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee said he was very excited at the idea of having a home Games and that the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will offer the entire Australian sporting movement an exciting opportunity to grow.

“A home Olympic and Paralympic Games mean so much more than just hosting a two-week major sporting event. The 11-year lead will give our country an unprecedented chance to nurture the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic champions, but also to realise valuable investment in high performance sport and sports infrastructure, creating a legacy that will last for decades.

“Volleyball saw first hand what a home Games can deliver, when Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst triumphed in front of thousands of Australians on Bondi Beach in 2000.

“Brisbane 2032 will again inspire participation in sporting programs from grassroots to the elite levels, which is critical for the health and wellbeing of future generations,” he said.

While tonight’s excitement is focused on the next 11 years, in two days’ time fans get their Olympic fix as our current Beach Volleyball Olympians take to the court in Tokyo. Check out all you need to know including how to watch and latest news at our Tokyo Olympics hub – click here.