Gold Coast is ready to step in and host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Australian city’s mayor has said.
Gold Coast staged the Games in 2018 and its mayor Tom Tate said it is “Games ready” after the state of Victoria withdrew as 2026 hosts earlier this week.
Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews cited a rise in estimated costs to at least six billion Australian dollars (just under £3.2bn) as he announced the withdrawal on Tuesday.
“The premier of Victoria’s lemon, the Gold Coast can turn that into lemonade because that’s how we roll,” Tate said in quotes reported by ABC in Australia.
“We can highlight once more that the Gold Coast is going ahead in leaps and bounds.”
Tate said hosting 2026 would give the state of Queensland “momentum” in its journey towards state capital Brisbane hosting the 2032 Olympic Games, but warned federal government funding initially earmarked for Victoria would need to be redirected to his city to make it happen.
Athletics Australia welcomed Tate’s comments, but Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said all efforts must remain focused on the 2032 Olympics.
“Even though the Gold Coast is a wonderful venue, it does have the venues and the infrastructure, it does have the transport, but we cannot afford to spend more money on another games,” she said.
ABC reported Tate had already made contact with officials at the Commonwealth Games Federation, which has been contacted for comment.
CGF chief executive Katie Sadleir told the PA news agency earlier this week her organisation was “open” to offers from any countries interested in hosting, including those within the UK.
A spokesman for London mayor Sadiq Khan said he “stood ready” to support a submission for 2026 but that any decision would need to be taken by the British Government.
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf said his country would explore the possibility of stepping in, possibly as part of a multi-country bid.
Commonwealth Games Scotland chair Ian Reid has a strong track record in Games delivery, having served as chief financial officer for the Glasgow 2014 organising committee and as chief executive of the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Scotland ponders scaled-down 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
On this day in 2018: Scotland’s Katie Archibald wins Commonwealth Games gold
Scotland’s Katie Archibald added Commonwealth champion to her long list of accolades on this day in 2018.
Archibald, an Olympic, world and European champion in various disciplines, took gold in the women’s individual pursuit in Brisbane, having broken the Games record in a blistering qualifying session.
Her only previous Commonwealth medal was the bronze she won on home soil in the points race in Glasgow four years earlier.
Archibald, then aged 24, said before racing began gold was the only colour she wanted and swiftly delivered, covering the 3,000m distance in three minutes 26.088 seconds to beat Australian Rebecca Wiasak.
She had set the record at 3:24.119 in a qualifying session which saw three riders go under the previous record set by England’s Joanna Rowsell Shand in Glasgow.
“It means a lot, especially in the individual pursuit because it’s not an Olympic event,” said Archibald. “2014 always stands out as a big year for Joanna Rowsell to kind of echo, because she had the title and the Games record.
“You look at the success she carried from that point in her career. I’d be very proud.”
Fired up by his sister’s performance, Archibald’s brother John then added another medal to Scotland’s tally with silver in the men’s 4,000m individual pursuit as England’s Charlie Tanfield clinched gold.
“I watched her heat run and the pressure was on her,” said John Archibald.
“The Commonwealth Games record went and they all went better than her personal best so she had her back against the wall but she pulled out and delivered on the day and that got me going.”
On this day in 2006: Kelly Sotherton wins heptathlon gold at Commonwealth Games
Kelly Sotherton celebrated heptathlon gold at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, on this day in 2006.
Sotherton, then aged 29, won what proved the sole major title of her career to give England a fourth of six athletics golds at the Games.
Having seen her commanding lead after five events almost cut in half following a poor javelin display, fourth place in the final event, the 800 metres, was enough to seal overall victory.
She finished with 6,396 points, 98 ahead of Australian silver-medallist Kylie Wheeler, while 20-year-old team-mate Jessica Ennis, who had been a point ahead of Wheeler heading into the 800m, took bronze with 6,269.
Despite becoming champion, Sotherton expressed unhappiness over her performance, particularly her showing in the javelin – her best of 32.04m was more than a metre down on the 33.09m which ultimately cost her a world championship bronze medal in Helsinki the previous year.
“At the moment I’m disappointed, not for gold but for my points total,” she said.
“I had a rubbish day today, my javelin is just getting worse. I have no words to describe how gutted I am at letting myself down.
“But when I stand on the top step of the podium and listen to the national anthem for the first time ever I think I’ll realise I have achieved something quite good today.
“I just wanted to win and get across the line to become Commonwealth champion.”
Sotherton had claimed heptathlon bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and further bronzes were earned from the heptathlon at the Osaka 2007 World Championships and Beijing 2008 Olympics, as well as the 4x400m relay at the latter.
Sotherton, who announced her retirement in 2012, did not receive the Beijing medals until 2018, having been upgraded following disqualifications.
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