Team England will feel the heat ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) with a 10-day training camp in Brisbane.

 

Around 600 English athletes and officials will arrive in Australia in March next year, keen to repeat their success from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

 

Minister for the Commonwealth Games Stirling Hinchliffe today welcomed Team England Chief Executive Officer Paul Blanchard, Chef de Mission Sarah Winckless and Operations Director Louise Bell to Brisbane, where they undertook a tour of the new Anna Meares Velodrome in Chandler.

 

“It gives me great pleasure to announce that Team England will be based in Brisbane for their pre-Games training in March 2018,” Minister Hinchliffe said.

 

“Already a strong competitor, having topped the medal tally at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the team will surely benefit from the additional time spent acclimatising and adjusting to conditions in South East Queensland.

 

“The economic and tourism benefits of this camp are an example of the legacy which the Games are creating not just on the Gold Coast, but right across South East Queensland.” 

 

 

Brisbane, a GC2018 Event City, will play host to both the track cycling and shooting competition during the Games.

 

Team England officials arrived in Queensland on Monday and visited GC2018 competition venues on the Gold Coast before heading up to Brisbane to inspect accommodation and training facilities.

 

Minister Hinchliffe said Team England were touring a number of potential training venues in Brisbane during the visit, as well as making a brief stopover in Cairns and Townsville to visit the basketball competition venues.

 

“The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games provide us with an incredible opportunity to showcase our state and I’m sure Team England’s experience in Brisbane will result in vast benefits for the region.”

 

 

Paul Blanchard, Chief Executive for Commonwealth Games England said: “We are delighted to have chosen Brisbane as the venue for our preparation camp in 2018. The facilities are excellent and we are enjoying visiting ahead of sending our largest ever team for an overseas Games.

 

“Commonwealth Games England is fully focused on creating the best possible performance environment for Team England athletes, coaches and support staff and we feel that this is achievable in Brisbane next year.

 

“The facilities that we are creating for our athletes will give Team England the best chance of delivering more success for the nation at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. We believe that they will be the best prepared team to ever represent England at a Commonwealth Games.”

 

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will run from 4 - 15 April 2018.

 

For more information on the Games visit www.gc2018.com.