New training facility helps skaters chase Olympic gold

The Department of Tourism and Sport including the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) worked closely with City of Gold Coast and Skate Australia to develop the facility that met Olympic level requirements for the athletes, while also sourcing suitable alternative venues for the displaced Precinct tenants.

City of Gold Coast contributed funding through its Sport Attraction program to assist with the construction of the street-style layout, while also helping with the appropriate relocation of existing tenants at the Gold Coast Recreation Precinct. Skate Australia worked with world leading California Skateparks to deliver the layout.

It means QAS-supported athletes such as Chloe Covell, Haylie Powell, Rome Collyer and Tommy Fynn have been able to train and focus on their Olympic preparations close to home with their extensive performance support team around them.

With QAS-supported skate athletes coming back from their final qualifying event in Budapest, they will be able to use the space as they fine-tune preparations for Paris.

The facility will also be used for a camp for development and pathways athletes with an eye to Olympic representation in Los Angeles and Brisbane.

QAS-supported athlete Tommy Fynn, who worked with Skate Australia to design the facility, spoke to the benefits it brings to the team.

“This facility means so much to us because being indoors allows us to train whenever we need to regardless of the weather and without any outside distractions,” he said.

“This is all about being able to grow and develop as athletes and hopefully that will translate into gold medals for Australia.”