What about Brisbane?September 12, 2016

As I was watching the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, I wondered if the Summer Olympics would be staged in Brisbane. I couldn't think of a better venue for beach volleyball. Open swimming won't be far from the Great Barrier Reef, which would be cool. And surfing might become one of the most popular events. Dad told me about the feasibility study, which would determine if our hometown could host the 2028 Summer Games. He added that Melbourne, the venue of the 1956 Olympics, could bid to host the quadrennial event for the second time if the organizers (of Brisbane for the the 2028 Olympics) would back out.

The tragic incident surrounding Maureen Boyce would be an isolated case. Moreover, athletes and tourists have no fear of any sighting of the great white shark. I've been an avid sports spectator for years, and I would love to have the biggest sports spectacle right on my doorsteps. I could come up with five reasons:

The Southern Hemisphere would be more than welcome to host the Olympics. My father was a huge fan of rugby and swimming, and he would look forward to the Olympic year. He didn't like the event often held in the Northern Hemisphere, but it might come to a halt soon. He would understand the gargantuan cost during his holiday in the Mediterranean. (He whistled at the deteriorating venues in Athens.) The four cities that would bid to host the 2024 Summer Games may come from the Northern Hemisphere, but there don't seem to be any anticipation for the announcement (of the host city) next year. What happened during the bidding for the 2022 Winter Games was an eye opener, but he believed that the members of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) would have a foresight for it.

Brisbane has been hosting sports events for the past decades. Dad was a laddie when he witnessed the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, and he was delighted to see the huge figure of Matilda parading around the track. (Matilda was the name of the mascot, and she happened to be the iconic kangaroo.) Home fans were cheering for swimmers Neil Brooks and Lisa Curry, who won three gold medals apiece. There was a huge celebration, as the home team topped the medal table. No one expected the Goodwill Games to be staged in this part of the world nineteen years later. And he thought it was high time that the Olympics should be the next step.

Venues won't be a problem. We looked forward to the New Year, as Brisbane would play host to the first tennis tournament (of the new season). Fans were excited to see Roger Federer playing at Queensland Tennis Centre, and Dad was quite saddened to learn that Fed would open his 2017 campaign in Perth. We might find ourselves as couch potatoes while watching the fireworks on the telly.

There might not be any time for sightseeing. Aside from the sports events, there would be plenty of places of interest for visitors. And it won't be confined to the coastline.

We were friendly people. There won't be any need to elaborate on it.

Dad was looking forward to seeing Dame Sarah Storey break her own world record in the individual pursuit. I had no idea that he was interested in cycling.

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