As a champion sprinter himself, City of Ballarat CEO Evan King is already right behind the running to bring the 2026 Commonwealth Games track and field events to regional Victoria.
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A regular on the dais at the Stawell Gift, Mr King says the likelihood of the games being held across the state is obviously a significant opportunity for regional Victoria and the city of Ballarat. He says in light the increased investment made by state, federal and local governments in sporting facilities in the past decade, major events should be able to be sought and retained by the city.
"We're in an incredibly strong position to attract and hold events here," Mr King told The Courier.
"It's also a significant opportunity for us to invest in future sporting facilities that would benefit the region and the community for a long time. So we see this as a great opportunity.
"It's not just the Commonwealth Games, it's also the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games: lead-up events, teams basing themselves in in Ballarat, and the legacy that leaves in both facilities - and in the motivation for our athletes to strive for that sort of representation."
Mr King says with the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 2026 and the Olympic games in Brisbane in 2032, a 16-year-old now will have two of the greatest incentives and chances to plan for the biggest athletic events in the world.
"It's actually a massive opportunity for all of us," Mr King said.
While there are huge gaps remaining in infrastructure - there is still no rail link to Mars Stadium and sites like the former John Valves factory are being sat on by speculators - Mr King says Ballarat can learn from its past in preparing for the 2026 games.
"If you look at the '56 Olympics, and the fact that rowing was here, that legacy still lives on now, in the city," he says.
"So what other legacies can we leave as part of the Commonwealth Games? I think it's a really significant opportunity for us."
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