Queensland Academy of Sport announced as location for Cycling Centre of Excellence

Preparing to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Queensland Government has today announced a national cycling Centre of Excellence will be established in Brisbane.

An addition to the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), the AusCycling Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence will see the primary training environments for national track sprint and BMX racing programs based out of Anna Meares Velodrome and Brisbane SX International BMX Centre at Sleeman Sports Complex.

The Centre will allow all action and acceleration sports to be supported by the QAS in south-east Queensland, joining the BMX freestyle national program on the Gold Coast.

Expressing her delight for the body to be strengthening its partnership with the QAS to create a world-leading facility and performance program, AusCycling Chief Executive, Marne Fechner stated “the recent performances of our action and acceleration athletes and staff at the Paris Olympics shows that we will be launching this Centre from a position of great strength.

“On behalf of the entire cycling and riding community and those who will be following the progress of our athletes toward LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032, we thank the Queensland Government, the QAS and the many people in the AusCycling team who have brought this dream to life.”

AusCycling Executive General Manager of Performance, Jesse Korf added “this initiative will provide our track sprinters, BMX freestylers and BMX racers with access to world-class facilities which will be featured at the 2032 Olympic Games. They will also have the benefit of outstanding coaches, support staff and enhanced performance support.”

Queensland Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said the Centre positions Queensland strongly on the Green and Gold Runway to Brisbane 2032.

Minister Mander went on to say “as the host state for the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships, 2028 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, the 2030 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and the 2032 Games, Queensland is the perfect place for AusCycling to develop its national program.

“Together with recent $1.5 million upgrades to the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre, they continue to create even more opportunities for our future Olympians.”

National program athletes, including Olympic gold medallist and BMX racer Saya Sakakibara and track sprinter Kristina Clonan, will relocate to Queensland from January 2025.

AusCycling will retain a presence at Adelaide Super-Drome for its endurance and para-cycling programs.

Image: 2018 Commonwealth Games action at the Anna Meares Velodrome.