Concern over appropriate athletics venue for 2034 NZ Commonwealth Games internet hosting bid

Despite its dominance of final month’s Halberg Awards, athletics looms as a potential weak hyperlink in a bid to host the 2034 Commonwealth Games.

Track and area holds pleasure of place in previous New Zealand success on the Games, producing 136 medals, together with 37 gold – each greater than every other sport – since they had been first held at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930.

High jumper Hamish Kerr has helped spark a resurgence within the sport over current years, capturing Halberg Supreme honours for his 2025 world championship victory, which adopted earlier success at Commonwealth Games, world indoor championships and the Paris Olympics.

It presently boasts world class performers in all kinds of occasions, however Athletics NZ chief government Cam Mitchell fears the shortage of an appropriate venue makes his sport an “Achilles heel”, as New Zealand prepares its case to stage the Commonwealth Games in eight years.

“One of the big challenges we have is facilities,” Mitchell instructed RNZ. “None of our facilities are optimal.”

New Zealand has hosted the Games thrice at Auckland 1950, Christchurch 1974 and Auckland 1990. None of the athletics venues at these occasions are nonetheless used for that function.

Eden Park has since change into the nation’s premier rugby website, QE2 Stadium was destroyed by the 2011 earthquake, whereas Mt Smart Stadium has change into residence for NZ Warriors and Auckland FC, with athletics relegated to what was beforehand the warm-up observe.

“That’s a challenge around facilities that we’re working with government on,” Mitchell mentioned. “If New Zealand desires to host the Commonwealth Games and be severe about that bid, athletics is our Achilles heel, as a result of there is not any facility.

“We need to build a national home for athletics.”

Over the weekend, the nationwide championships had been staged at Auckland’s Trusts Stadium, which additionally hosted video games in the course of the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

It already has a large grandstand down the homestraight, which was packed for Saturday’s ‘Track Stars’ showcase, however would want additional work to fulfill Commonwealth Games spectator requirements.

“It definitely resonates,” Kerr instructed RNZ final week. “If you have a look at the tracks round New Zealand, we have some actual world-class tracks – the surfaces, the way in which they’re designed and the way in which they’re constructed – however they have not been constructed with spectators in thoughts or high-level competitions.

“I believe will probably be attention-grabbing to see how Trusts Stadium works on the weekend for the nationals, as a result of it has a great embankment and a decent-sized stand.

“As an athletics fan, the factor I’ve been a little bit bit dissatisfied with is, when there was speak about new stadiums throughout the nation, usually they’re made to dimensions that would not accommodate a observe.

“Christchurch’s new stadium is a perfect example of that.”

In current years, the Commonwealth Games have barely survived the elevated prices of staging them.

Durban, South Africa, was initially awarded the 2022 Games, however struggled for finance and was ultimately changed by Birmingham, England, which moved its internet hosting settlement up 4 years to accommodate.

Bids from Kuala Lumpur, Cardiff, Calgary, Edmonton and Adelaide for 2026 had been all withdrawn, additionally resulting from monetary issues.

In April 2022, the Australian state of Victoria agreed to host this yr’s version on a brand new regional mannequin, with venues unfold throughout its catchment at Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, reasonably than centred on Melbourne.

Fifteen months later, the state authorities terminated its host settlement. Gold Coast, London, Malaysia, Singapore and the Ghanaian capital of Accra thought-about stepping in, however in the end, all declined.

As a final resort, Glasgow agreed to a diminished programme utilizing venues from the 2014 Games.

The 2030 Games have already been awarded to Ahmedabad, India, whereas New Zealand has indicated curiosity in 2034, in all probability adopting the regional mannequin.

“Commonwealth Sport will put out their timelines, which we expect will be 2027, for feasibilities, presentations and proposals to go through to them,” NZ Olympic Committee chief government Nicki Nicol instructed RNZ.

“We’ve finished some pre-feasibilities. and can wait to do the following spherical of feasibility over the following 12 months or so. It’s a little bit of awaiting recreation nonetheless, however we’re actually acutely aware that athletics is caught within the programme.

“We do know that Sport NZ have an infrastructure overview, so everybody’s conscious that we would like world-class amenities to maintain producing superb athletes.

“2034 is still a while away, but there are certainly options in New Zealand to retrofit existing facilities, so we can hold the Commonwealth Games and have athletics as part of that programme.”

Nicol agreed that Trusts Stadium was in all probability a frontrunner.

“I’m not a geo-tech engineer, but we do expect that would be a minimum standard that we could operate a Games at,” she mentioned.

“We may use non permanent seating, as a result of on the finish of the day, we’ve got to ensure we have surfaces and circumstances for the athletes to carry out at that elite stage.

“We look forward to working with government over the coming months.”

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