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Sport
Andrew Stafford

Olympic vision elevates Paralympians to equal status

Paralympics star Madison De Rozario has hailed the inclusive approach of the 2032 Brisbane Games. (Andrew Stafford/AAP PHOTOS)

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a "catalyst Games" for Paralympians, according to wheelchair road racing champion Madison De Rozario.

De Rozario said seeing the Olympic rings alongside the Paralympic Agitos symbol elevated Paralympic athletes on to the same podium as their able-bodied peers.

"Having the Paralympic branding alongside the Olympics from the very beginning of this journey was a global first," she said.

The Agitos - taken from the Latin "I move" - consist of red, blue and green crescents encircling a central point, representing motion and bringing Paralympic athletes together from around the world.

De Rozario was speaking at the launch of what was billed as the Games Vision, centred around five words: "Believe, Belong, Become. Brisbane 32."

She noted the importance of belonging to the Paralympic movement, saying it created an inclusive theme for the Games.

The Agitos logo
The Agitos logo is seen on the Arc de Triomphe during the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. (Joel Marklund/AAP PHOTOS)

"If this is the way we plan on telling these stories going forward, I think Brisbane 2032 could be the biggest catalyst for the Paralympic movement," she said.

Brisbane 2032 board member and former Olympic sprinter Patrick Johnson said he never thought he would see another home Olympics, with Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000) already having played host.

"The whole world's going to be looking at us," he said.

"As a proud Queenslander, and a proud Australian and proud Olympian, this is going to be the greatest Games ever."

Asked about the prospects of teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout, Johnson was circumspect, saying he was excited to see the next generation of emerging athletes.

"We want to see the next generation living out their dreams, and I've always said records are there to be broken."

With the event seven years away, Brisbane is facing a period of disruption while the necessary infrastructure is built.

Patrick Johnson.
Patrick Johnson can't wait for the world's attention to be focused on his beloved Queensland. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

Andrew Liveris, leader of the organising committee, recently said the scale of what the city required to host the Games, including accommodation for athletes, foreign dignitaries and tourists, kept him up at night.

He laughed that off as "just a line" at Wednesday's event, saying: "I don't sleep much anyway".

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the need for further infrastructure was not confined to Brisbane.

"We're working closely with the state government on that because it's right across the state,'' he said.

"There's accommodation needed everywhere, whether it's the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, regional towns as well."

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