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The Victorian government's decision not to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games is a "big call", Merewether marathoner Christie Dawes says.
Dawes competed for Australia in three Commonwealth Games - Melbourne 2006, Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022 - in wheelchair track and road events.
She said teenagers who had their eyes on the 2026 Games in regional Victoria would be particularly disappointed to "have that dream taken away".
"I think the big blow will come to the younger developing athletes," she said.
"It's always been a great stepping stone in all sports for the young ones to experience the village context."
Dawes added that elite athletes "don't get very many opportunities to compete at a high level in front of a home crowd".
But she could understand why the Victorian government would decide that $6 billion to $7 billion could be better spent.
"I'm a mum with two kids trying to balance a household budget and come to terms with why I just went to Woolies and paid $60 for one bag of groceries," she said, with a laugh.
"Times are tough and people are making calls where they need to."
She speculated that Sydney or Brisbane could step in to host the event.
"[Queensland Premier] Annastacia Palaszczuk is probably a good chance. She likes to put her hand up for every single thing.
"They've had the Commonwealth Games there, so they have the experience and infrastructure.
"Sydney too has Homebush sitting out there as a bit of a white elephant. They could put that to use again."
Dawes, 43, has also competed at seven Paralympic Games, winning two silver medals and a bronze. She also won two world titles
She is in training for next year's Paris Paralympics.
"I think that'll probably be my last huge Games. To go on to 2026 would be a bit of a push," she said.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the cost of hosting the Games had blown out from $2.6 billion to $6 billion to $7 billion.
"I don't know how somebody could have got the maths so very wrong. Hopefully they've been frogmarched out of their office by security by now," Dawes said.
She wondered whether the decision was linked to the push for Australia to become a republic.
"You do wonder if it has anything to do with a snub towards the monarchy," she said.
"This could be one of the first steps of not wanting to be associated with the Commonwealth any more."
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