A new look Commonwealth Games Australia today formally launched the Australian Team campaign to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games Australia President Sam Coffa AM JP was joined at the launch by Australian Team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti, high performance personnel from all 18 Commonwealth Games program sports, along with athletes, sponsors and representatives from GOLDOC.
In a major boost to athlete preparation for Gold Coast 2018, Australian Team Chef De Mission Steve Moneghetti announced that Commonwealth Games Australia had partnered with the AIS to provide an additional $2million to the dAIS funding program for athletes.
Moneghetti said today had marked a major milestone in the journey to Gold Coast 2018, with high performance representatives from all 18 sports gathering on the Gold Coast to advance preparations for a successful Australian Team campaign.
“We are just 503 days from the opening of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“For each and every Commonwealth Games we prepare as best we can, but there is no shying away from the added importance of the games being held on home soil.
“Today on the Gold Coast, representatives from each of the 18 sports to be featured at Gold Coast 2018 have come together as our full focus shifts to preparing as best we can for a successful games.
“As part our mission to do all we can to help sports and athletes prepare for 2018, Commonwealth Games Australia is really pleased to have partnered with the AIS to provide a further $2million in funding directly to athletes.
“We are proud of our record at competing at Commonwealth Games, and we are equally proud of our record at hosting memorable games as we have done in 2006, 1982, 1962 and 1938. I have full confidence Gold Coast 2018 will be a great and memorable Commonwealth Games and I congratulate GOLDOC for the progress that has been made so far.
“There is great excitement building for Gold Coast 2018. Our 18 partner sports are excited, our athletes are excited, you can feel the excitement building on the Gold Coast and it will grow right across Australia as the games draw near.
“The Australian Team for Gold Coast 2018 will be one of the largest in history, with some 450 athletes set to wear the green and gold.
“We fully expect our Australian Team to be made up of equal numbers of male and female athletes, and importantly, for the first time ever at a multi-sport games, male and female athletes will compete for an equal number of medals,” Moneghetti said.
As part of today’s launch, Commonwealth Games Australia revealed its new look, with a fresh new brand and name, replacing the former Australian Commonwealth Games Association.
Commonwealth Games Australia Chief Executive Officer Craig Phillips said that with a home Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast on the horizon, the time was right to freshen up the look of Commonwealth Games Australia.
“Commonwealth Games Australia is about athletes representing and inspiring their country and achieving their sporting dreams, so it was important that athletes were a key part of the process in this new look coming together.
“We are proud that Commonwealth Games athletes, past and present, have been the driving force behind our new look and we really believe it is something they will be proud to wear and represent.
“When our Chef De Mission Steve Moneghetti saw this new brand, he said ‘At the 35km when every part of me wants to stop running, I will look down at this mark and it will drive me on, it will remind me that I am doing this for my team and my country.’ We hope it is something that drives all of the Australian Team to the finish line.
