NEVER in all the time Steve Moneghetti spent chasing Commonwealth Games did he imagine one would come to his backyard.
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Mr Moneghetti has contested four Commonwealth Games, winning gold on the streets of Victoria in Canada for the 1994 marathon. He was mayor for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games village in the wake of his athletics retirement and has twice served as Australia's chef de mission in the Games he loves.
The news became official on Tuesday that Ballarat would become one of four regional hubs to co-host the 2026 Games with athletics to find a home at Mars Stadium. Mr Moneghetti, standing on the playing arena, said he was "pinching himself".
Growing up I wanted to go to the Commonwealth Games - never did I imagine the Commonwealth Games would come to me.
- Steve Moneghetti
"To think I grew up down the road and growing up I wanted to go to the Commonwealth Games - never did I imagine the Commonwealth Games would come to me," Mr Moneghetti said.
"We have had regional Games before, Edinburgh and Victoria are regional cities to some degree like the Gold Coast, but this is embraced by the whole state.
"Regional Victoria has great communities, a great love of sport and great people. Sport holds the region together and now this multi-sport event is coming to the region."
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City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said the Games were a "game-changer" for regional Victoria.
Cr Moloney pointed to the "profound impact" the 1956 Olympic rowing continued to have in young rowers' belief two generations later.
"There will be a moment in the future when historians are looking at turning points for Ballarat and I think this will be one of those points in history," Cr Moloney said.
Buninyong MP Michaela Settle said to host the Games' two biggest drawcards, athletics and boxing, plus Twenty20 cricket was exciting for Ballarat "on so many levels".
"There is also a great pride of place and incredible pride in the region," Ms Settle said. "The rest of the world is invited in to experience that."
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