Brisbane 2032: Celebrating nine years to the Paralympic and Olympic Games

More than 30 communities across Queensland, Australia, have celebrated as the large-scale Paralympic Agitos and Olympic Rings arrived in Brisbane to mark nine years to go to the Summer Games. The Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games will take place between 24 August and 5 September 2032, following the Olympic Games which will open on 23 July. 

“The Rings and Agitos are a symbolic reminder that Brisbane has become an Olympic and Paralympic city of the world, alongside LA, Paris, London and so many others,” said Andrew Liveris, Brisbane 2032 President. 

“Australia is one year closer to a life-changing celebration that will place our beautiful country as the epicentre of the sporting world and leave a tangible legacy for Queensland and Australia,” explained Anika Wells, Australian Minister for Sport and Aged Care. 

“We have achieved a lot in the past two years, and we will achieve a lot more in the next nine. Being an Olympic and Paralympic City and State will be the biggest single catalyst for change this century.

The world is going to discover all the things we love about Queensland and Queensland will be the winner," Premier of Queensland and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Annastacia Palaszczuk said. 

Visitors to Brisbane enjoyed a series of commemorative activities and took pictures with the Rings and Agitos. 

Nine more years 

Jock O’Callaghan, President of Paralympics Australia, emphasised the importance of having the Three Agitos of the Paralympic Movement in the host city with nine more years to go. 

“The presence of the Paralympic Agitos in Queensland is extremely significant especially for the athletes who aspire to represent Australia on home soil,” he said.  

“Agito, in Latin, means ‘I move’. The Paralympic Agitos, which circle a central point, symbolise the power of the Paralympic Movement to bring together people from around the world and indicate the determination of Paralympic athletes to always move forward, to always progress.” 

Brisbane 2032 will be the first time the Paralympic and Olympic Games have been held in Australia since Sydney 2000. At that edition of the Paralympics, the host country stole the show, winning 149 medals including 63 golds.   

“Having a home Games is always an exciting thing. I think for me, my Paralympic journey started with Sydney 2000 so having the Games come back to Australia is definitely very exciting,” said Hannah Dodd, a Para equestrian and wheelchair basketball player who made her Paralympic debut at London 2012. 

Ella Sabljak, who helped Australia win the Wheelchair Rugby World Championships last year, has high hopes for Brisbane 2032.  

“It’s going to be one of the most accessible cities in the world,” she said. “For the Paralympics to be here, it means that we are providing hope and options and opportunities for every child with a disability to either compete in sport, or get into the job they want to get into, and just achieve their goals.