2032 TALENT IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM TO REACH 50,000 ASPIRING YOUNG QUEENSLANDERS

A state-wide talent search is set to reach more than 50,000 young athletes in a quest to put more Queenslanders on the medal dais in Brisbane 2032.

Member for Nicklin, Robert Skelton MP said “Youfor2032” will be Australia’s largest athlete talent identification program, targeting aspiring Olympians and Paralympians and putting them on the runway for 2032.

“If you have natural athletic ability, determination and willpower, this is your chance to come and get tested and see if you have what it takes to become a medal winner in 2032,” said Mr Skelton

“The Queensland Academy of Sport will be travelling the length and breadth of the state as they select more than 20,000 aspirants for systematic talent testing over the next two years.

“This is exciting news for aspiring athletes on the Sunshine Coast”

“From the initial testing sessions, we expect about 400 athletes who possess Olympic and Paralympic potential to be provided with the opportunity to engage in specialist development programs to accelerate their potential.

“The road to 2032 begins now and we want to give all talented Queenslanders the best possible shot at reaching their full athletic potential.”

Applications for the Youfor2032 program will open on 12 April 2022, with the first testing sessions happening in Toowoomba in May.

Mr Skelton said Youfor2032 has been made possible by a doubling in QAS funding to $29 million per annum over the first two years of the 11-year runway.

“This extra funding will enable the QAS talent specialists to travel far and wide to find potential medal winners, which is important because so many of our sporting stars hail from regional and remote centres of Queensland,” said Mr Skelton

“Youfor2032 talent testing will initially be held throughout Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and South-West of Queensland in May.

“From there the testing will move to North-West Queensland, Far-North, North and Central Queensland in June/July and then through Wide Bay and South-East Queensland in July/August.”

QAS CEO Chelsea Warr said the talent identification testing is in partnership with National and State Sporting organisations, schools, universities and school sport districts.

“The first phase of testing will measure basic physical, physiological and cognitive capabilities including speed, power, agility, endurance and spatial awareness,” said Ms Warr.

“We will closely study the applicants’ sporting backgrounds and their sporting results to date.

“The second phase of testing becomes more sport-specific, aiming to match athlete profiles to specific sports.

“Parents will receive education on how best to support their child potentially stepping on to the high-performance pathway.”

Ms Warr said the QAS will wrap its world class expertise and knowledge around selected athletes to ensure their potential is accelerated towards 2032.

“We are not only on the lookout for 2032 talented athletes, but also 2032 talented coaches,” she said.


“This is why the QAS, in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport, has already selected 11 aspiring coaches to be part of a national first 2032 Elite Coach Scholarship Program, supporting them on their own development journey to be world class.”

For more information, please visit www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/academy