Pride and excitement is consuming the city, with talented Gold Coast athletes set to represent the region and the country in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Swimmers, sailors and discus-throwers are among Gold Coast locals that have ventured to the South American city to compete in what is the epitome of sporting events in the world.
More than 10,500 athletes, representing 42 disciplines across 28 sports, will battle it out for 306 gold medals over 17 days of competition.
Around 50,000 volunteers will be on hand to ensure competitors and an anticipated half a million tourists have an unforgettable experience.
Madeline Groves is one swimming superstar from the Gold Coast that is hoping to do her city proud when she competes in the 100 metre and 200 metre women’s butterfly individual events, the 4×200 metre freestyle relay and 4×100 metre medley relay event.
“I remember being told when I was younger that if you work hard and you dream it; then you can do it,” says Groves.
“But it wasn’t until the last few years training alongside swimmers who had competed at London and Beijing, and doing the same work they were doing, that I believed being an Olympic swimmer was actually a realistic dream for me.”
Joining Groves is Gold Coaster Cameron McEvoy, who achieved a historic triple win in the 50 metre, 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle at the Australian championships in Adelaide.
McEvoy will contest all three sprint events in Rio as well as play a key role in Australia’s relay teams.
“I know I’m in a great spot right now to handle a week like this,” says McEvoy.
“Rio is definitely going to be another level above this (Australian championships in Adelaide), both physically and mentally. I’m aware of what I need to do so that’s the first step.”
Sailor Mat Belcher, who also calls the Gold Coast home, is heading to Rio to defend the title he won with Malcolm Page four years ago when he teams up with debutant Will Ryan.
Gold Coaster Dani Samuels will make her third consecutive Games appearance after winning her 17th national title.
Samuels burst onto the world stage as a 13-year-old when she represented Australia at the World Youth championships, an under-18 event.
In 2005 she won the discus gold and shot put bronze at the same event and a year later claimed the World Junior Championships and the discus bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 as a 17-year-old.
Dani Samuels
Mat Belcher and Will Ryan
Thomas Fraser-Holmes
Sam Stosur in Madrid
Emma Moffat (image courtesy ITU)
Lachlan Tame and KenWallace
Madeline Groves at Bond
Cameron McEvoy
Samuels made her Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Games, as the youngest member of the Australian athletics team where she placed ninth overall.
When asked what attitude she will be taking to Rio, she said she is the happiest she has been in her career.
“That sets me up to take the next big step in my career and that is to win an Olympic medal,” says Samuels.
“I hope I can draw on all my experiences and take that to Rio. You have to be in your best personal shape to win – it takes a lot of guts and it takes a lot of confidence and hard work and hopefully all of that comes together in August.”
Impressively, Griffith University, has 24 students and alumni participating at the Rio Olympics. If all make the finals, the 17 Griffith students and seven alumni will see action on every day of the 2016 Olympic Games.
The 24 athletes, along with at least three Paralympians heading for Rio, are part of the biggest field of Griffith students and alumni to participate at any Olympics and Paralympics.
Meanwhile, making its return to Olympic competition for the first time in 112 years will be golf, which will be joined by debutants rugby sevens.
Of the 306 competition events, 161 will be contested by men, 136 by women and nine will be mixed.
The United States and China are expected to battle for top spot on the medal table, with Australia hoping for a top-five finish after a disappointing 2012 London campaign, in which it finished 10th – its equal worst performance since Barcelona in 1992.
While Australia’s seven gold, 16 silver and 12 bronze medals were disappointing from a national perspective it was a triumph for Queensland which contributed to the majority of the medals.
Gold Coasters were by far the most successful with five athletes contributing to the team’s seven gold medals, four helped win silver and three contributed to bronze.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has predicted Australia will buck the trend of a declining medal haul since Sydney 2000, where the team won 58 medals including 16 gold, with 13 gold in Rio – almost doubling its haul in London.
In the lead up to the Rio Olympics, More Gold Coast featured a range of Gold Coast athletes.
Thomas Fraser-Holmes –
Sport: Swimming (400m individual medley, 200m freestyle, 4 x 200m freestyle relay)Olympic Swimming Competition Dates: August 6 – 13Age: 24World Ranking: Individual Medley 400m: 4:10.14 (no. 2), freestyle 200m: 1:45.56 (no. 4 with Cameron McEvoy), 4x200m relay: Australia (No.3)
Find out what an Olympic medal means to Thomas Fraser-Holmes here.
Ken Wallace –
Sport: Sprint Canoe KayakingOlympic Canoe Kayak Competition Dates: August 10 – 15Age: 32World Ranking: K1 5000m (1), K2 500m (1 with Lachlan Tame), K4 1000m (4 with Jacob Clear, Lachlan Tame, Murray Stewart)
Find out where Ken Wallace’s favourite local coffee shop is here.
Sam Stouser –
Sport: TennisOlympic Competition Dates: August 6-14World Ranking: Singles: No.22 (highest no.4) | Doubles: no.99 (highest no.1)
Is Sam Stouser superstitious? Find out here.
Cameron McEvoy –
Sport: Swimming (50m, 100m, 200m freestyle, 4 x 200m freestyle relay and 4 x 100m medley relay)Olympic Swimming Competition Dates: 6-13 August 2016Age: 21World Ranking: Freestyle – 50m: 21.44 (no.3) | 100m: 47.04 (no.1) | 200m: 1:45.46 (no.5) | 4x200m: Australia (no.3) medley – 4x100m: Australia (no.2)
Where is Cam McEvoy’s favourite Gold Coast restaurant? Find out here.
Emma Moffatt –
Sport: Triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run)Olympic Triathlon Competition Dates: Men – August 20, Women – August 18Age: 31World Rankings: No.1 in 2009 and 2010Current: 13 (after two events)
Find out Emma Moffatt’s favourite training day here.
Mat Belcher –
Sport: Sailing 470 class (crew Will Ryan)Olympic Sailing Competition Dates: August 8-18Age: 33World Ranking: No.1
Matt Belcher’s favourite saying can be found here.
Dani Samuels –
Sport: Athletics (discus)Olympic Athletics Competition Dates: August 12 – 21Age: 27Personal Best: 67.99 metresWorld Ranking: All time – 50th (the top 20 best throws of all time were achieved during the 80s by Eastern Block athletes when the use of performance enhancing drugs was rife).Annual Rankings: 2016 – 3rd (67.77 metres), 2015 – 4th (66.21 metres)
Read about Dani Samuels’ most painful athletic experience here.
RELATED ARTICLES
Going for Gold: Dani Samuels
Going for Gold: Ken Wallace
Going for Gold: Sam Stosur
Going for Gold: Emma Moffatt
Going for Gold: Cameron McEvoy
Going for Gold: Mat Belcher
Going for Gold: Thomas Fraser-Holmes
The post Gold Coasters donning green and gold in Rio appeared first on More Gold Coast.