We’ve done it: Brisbane celebrates after it was awarded 2032 Olympics

The Australian city of Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Olympics, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said on Wednesday. This news prompted celebrations and fireworks as it became the third Australian city to host the Summer Games after Melbourne and Sydney.

IOC president confirmed the widely expected results after delegates voted 72 to five with three abstentions at the IOC session in Tokyo.

The news was welcomed by the Australian delegates in Tokyo and in Brisbane, fireworks lit up the skies, with crowds engaging in wild celebrations.

Brisbane’s victory looked a certainty after it was unanimously proposed as the single candidate for 2032 by the IOC’s 15-strong executive board in June.

“I’m so excited — I have so much pride for my state, for my people. Never in my lifetime did I think that this was going to happen,” said Queensland state premier Anna Palaszczuk.

“We”ve done it, Queensland! We’ve done it, Brisbane! This is fantastic, this is amazing — tonight is your night, enjoy,” she added.

Prior to this, Australia has hosted the Summer Games twice – 1956 Melbourne and 2000 Sydney.

Hundreds of people packed Brisbane’s Southbank riverside precinct for the announcement, watching the city’s final pitch to the IOC on a big screen.

Rhys Cush, 24, one of those in the masked-up crowd, said he hoped to work at the 2032 Olympics and also attend as a spectator.

“I’m an extremely big fan. I even watched the softball this morning. I’m super excited about having the Olympics coming here,” news agency AFP quoted him as saying.

Lauren Granger, 42, said she hoped the 2032 Olympics would recreate the buzz of Sydney’s successful 2000 Games.

“We flew down to Sydney and we were at the Olympics and it was just such a great experience for our family,” she said.

“That was 20 years ago so we’d love to be able to relive that in 2032 with our kids,” she added.

Venues will be spread across Brisbane and nearby towns in Queensland state, including the Gold Coast which hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

There are hopes the Olympics will boost Brisbane’s profile, making it more attractive to tourists who tend to use it as a jumping-off point for attractions like the Great Barrier Reef.

A report in The Australian newspaper said the Games will cost Australia $5 billion, with the opening and closing ceremonies taking place at a redeveloped Gabba cricket ground.

“It’s a historic day not just for Brisbane and Queensland, but for the entire country,” said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“Only global cities can secure the Olympic Games, so this is fitting recognition for Brisbane’s standing across our region and the world.”

The decision means the IOC has now secured hosts for the next three Summer Olympics, with Paris holding the event in 2024 and Los Angeles organising the 2028 Games.

The awarding of the 2032 Olympics was the first to take place with a new election method adopted in June 2019 in an attempt to counter application fees and a lack of serious bids.