Paris 2024 boost: AusCycling secures support to build Olympic BMX Freestyle course replica

AusCycling's quest for more Olympic medals in BMX Freestyle has received a major boost today, courtesy of a second stream of funding from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) confirming a Paris 2024 Olympic Games course replica will be built on the Gold Coast.

The ASC funding announcement makes it two consecutive Summer Olympic Games that AusCycling and the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) has helped secure funding to best prepare its athletes for competing at the Games.

Ahead of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021, AusCycling built a course replica of Ariake Urban Sports Park with support from the QAS and the Gold Coast City Council.

That Games replica delivered the desired result in Tokyo, with Logan Martin becoming the first men's gold medallist in BMX Freestyle Park, and Natalya Diehm finishing fifth in the women despite battling a major knee injury.

The green lighted forthcoming replica is one of 56 targeted projects across 26 sports set to benefit from today’s ASC second stream $5 million funding boost, and part of a $20 million commitment from the Australian Government announced in July to significantly enhance medal potential and improve the performance of Australian athletes in Paris.

Federal Minister for Sport, Anika Wells, announced the successful recipients while in Paris less than a year out from the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“This is an important step on our path towards building the best sporting system in the world by Brisbane 2032,” Minister Wells said.

“For many sports, the Paris 2024 Preparation Fund unlocks the one-percenters and for others, it opens the door to new Olympic and Paralympic aspirations.

“Underpinned by the Win Well pledge, it is about elevating the chances of Australians getting to the Paris starting line, achieving a personal best, or reaching the podium and, ultimately, delivering results that make Australia proud.”

Stream Two of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Preparation Fund was a competitive grant program with eligible high performance sports applying for additional funding to enhance their existing and/or new priority campaigns for Paris 2024.

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Feature picture: Zubiko Photography