Greater Geelong is turning green and gold for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as competition gets underway tomorrow night (AEST time) ahead of Saturday morning's opening ceremony.
We are excited to cheer on the Aussies including several local talents through a number of activities and initiatives to show our region's support.
City Hall on Gheringhap Street, The Carousel, catenary lights at Malop and Moorabool streets and the foyer of Geelong's civic precinct Wurriki Nyal will be illuminated in green and gold in the evenings from Friday, adding to the green-lit trees along Eastern Beach.
Our Swim, Sport & Leisure members are encouraged to register for a short-term 'Member Olympics Challenge' throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games, ending when the Paralympics wrap up on 8 September. The challenge rewards members for visiting 10, 15 and 25 times with prizes from Speedo, NovoFit and Swim, Sport & Leisure up for grabs.
Community members will also spot 'Go Aussie' placards, a mobile billboard, digital signage at our Customer Service Centres and flag banners throughout our region.
Mayor Trent Sullivan
I am looking forward to watching the Aussies compete for glory in Paris.Geelong Council is proud to get in on all the Olympics action and excitement through activities that show our support for our Australian athletes, including some very special local talents.
I'll be cheering extra hard for the athletes who are Geelong born-and-bred as they take on the world's best.
Australia's 11th fastest woman of all time, sprinter Mia Gross, is debuting in Paris after starting her athletic journey at age nine sprinting down the Landy Field track for Grovedale Little Athletics Club.
Local high jumper Joel Baden, who competed for Peninsula Little Athletics Club and was a regular at Landy Field, will hope to leap over his personal best of 2.33 metres.
Geelong's Angus Widdicombe honed his craft as a men's eight rower along the Barwon, and will be looking to improve on his team's sixth-place finish at Tokyo 2020.
As a supporter and manager of hundreds of grounds, arenas and facilities, Council is thrilled to have played our part in their sporting development.
Good luck to our local athletes at Paris 2024 – Greater Geelong is behind you!
Deputy Mayor Anthony Aitken
There are number of other athletes with connections to our region that we are proud to claim as our own.Council is proud to rally behind boxer Marissa Williamson Pohlman, basketballer Jock Landale, distance runner Lauren Ryan, Matildas midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross, shooter Penny Smith, sailor Brin Liddell and rower Ria Thompson, who have spent time in Greater Geelong in their younger years, while training or in school.
Congratulations on making it to the Paris Olympics. We wish you the very best.
