Griffith University today played host to the formal launch of the 2018 Australian team campaign by Commonwealth Games Australia.
President Sam Coffa AM JP was joined at the launch by Australian Team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti, GOLDOC Chairman Peter Beattie AC and Griffith University’s Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Ned Pankhurst.
Also present were high performance personnel from all 18 Commonwealth Games program sports, along with athletes, sponsors and representatives from GOLDOC (Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Organising Corporation).
In a major boost to athlete preparation for Gold Coast 2018, Mr Moneghetti announced that Commonwealth Games Australia had partnered with the AIS to provide an additional $2 million to the AIS funding program for athletes.
Journey reaches major milestone
Mr Moneghetti said today had marked a major milestone in the journey to Gold Coast 2018, with high performance representatives from all 18 sports gathering on the Gold Coast to advance preparations for a successful Australian Team campaign.
“We are just 503 days from the opening of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“For each and every Commonwealth Games we prepare as best we can, but there is no shying away from the added importance of the Games being held on home soil.
“Today on the Gold Coast, representatives from each of the 18 sports to be featured at Gold Coast 2018 have come together as our full focus shifts to preparing as best we can for a successful Games.
“The Australian Team for Gold Coast 2018 will be one of the largest in history, with some 450 athletes set to wear the green and gold.
“We fully expect our Australian Team to be made up of equal numbers of male and female athletes, and importantly, for the first time ever at a multi-sport games, male and female athletes will compete for an equal number of medals.”
New look revealed
As part of today’s launch, Commonwealth Games Australia revealed its new look, with a fresh new brand and name, replacing the former Australian Commonwealth Games Association.
Commonwealth Games Australia Chief Executive Officer Craig Phillips said that with a home Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast on the horizon, the time was right to freshen up the look of Commonwealth Games Australia.
“Commonwealth Games Australia is about athletes representing and inspiring their country and achieving their sporting dreams, so it was important that athletes were a key part of the process in this new look coming together.
“We are proud that Commonwealth Games athletes, past and present, have been the driving force behind our new look and we really believe it is something they will be proud to wear and represent.”