Brisbane 2032: What Could a “Home Games” Really Mean for Pacific Athletes?

You may have seen, heard or read Brisbane 2032 described as a “home Games” for Pacific athletes.

I love that idea.

As someone from Papua New Guinea who now lives in Brisbane, there is something incredibly special about imagining athletes from across the Pacific competing on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages, so close to home.

But I’ve also been thinking about a bigger question:

What does a home Games actually mean for Pacific athletes before, during and after 2032?

Because proximity to the competition is only one part of the opportunity.

For me, the real potential of Brisbane 2032 lies in what we can build on the road there and what remains across the Pacific long after the closing ceremony.

I’ve experienced what access can make possible

In the lead-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, I was fortunate to train in Brisbane before representing Papua New Guinea in the 50m freestyle.

Living and training in Brisbane gave me access to facilities, coaching, competition and opportunities that contributed to my development as an athlete.

I recognise the privilege in that.

And it makes me think about the Pacific athletes who are currently dreaming of Brisbane 2032.

Some may be teenagers right now.

Some may not even have discovered their sport yet.

Some will remain in their home countries throughout their sporting careers.

Others may relocate to Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere to access training and competition opportunities.

Some will balance study, work and sport.

Some will become Olympians and Paralympians.

Some won’t.

But every one of those athletes will eventually face another transition:

Life beyond competition.

Becoming an Olympian didn’t automatically give me a career

This is something I understand personally.

By the time I finished competing, I had represented Papua New Guinea internationally for years.

I had competed at an Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Pacific Games.

I had also completed a university degree in sports management.

On paper, you might assume that combination created an obvious pathway into a professional career in sport.

It didn’t.

I had sporting experience.

I had qualifications.

But I didn’t yet have practical experience in sports administration, events or management.

My career didn’t begin with a major role in high-performance sport.

I started as a learn-to-swim instructor.

I worked as a pool lifeguard.

I worked front-of-house customer service at a swimming pool.

Step by step, I built experience.

Eventually, that journey led me into close to a decade working across elite athlete wellbeing, education and athlete pathways within university and vocational education environments.

Looking back now, it makes me wonder:

What if we started thinking about those pathways for Pacific athletes before they need them?

The road to 2032 could be about much more than medals

Of course, we want Pacific athletes to perform.

We want to see athletes from our region qualify, compete and succeed.

We want world-class coaching, facilities and high-performance opportunities.

But what if our ambition for Brisbane 2032 went beyond what happens in competition?

What could we build between now and 2032 around:

Education pathways.

Work experience.

Mentoring.

Athlete wellbeing.

Career development.

Leadership opportunities.

Coaching and workforce capability.

Sports administration and governance experience.

Connections between Australian organisations and Pacific nations.

Imagine a Pacific athlete coming to Queensland for a training block and also being connected to education or professional development.

Imagine emerging Pacific coaches having opportunities to learn alongside Australian high-performance programs and then taking that knowledge home.

Imagine former athletes being supported into careers across coaching, administration, education, events, wellbeing and sports leadership.

Imagine relationships established before 2032 continuing for years afterwards.

That’s when the idea of a home Games starts to become much bigger than geography.

Athlete wellbeing has to be part of the conversation

High-performance sport asks a lot of athletes.

Training.

Travel.

Competition.

Selection.

Injury.

Financial pressures.

Education.

Work.

Family expectations.

And eventually, transition out of sport.

For athletes from smaller Pacific nations, there can be additional complexities around relocating, accessing facilities, funding and being away from family and community.

That’s why I believe athlete wellbeing and dual-career development need to be part of our Brisbane 2032 conversations now, not something we introduce when an athlete’s sporting career is ending.

An athlete can pursue an Olympic dream while also developing as a person.

Those two things don’t have to compete.

Education, career development and wellbeing don’t distract from high performance.

Done well, they can help create athletes who feel supported beyond their next result.

And what comes back to the Pacific?

This might be the question I’m most interested in.

If Brisbane 2032 is going to be a home Games for the Pacific:

How does the Pacific benefit long after the Games have finished?

Not only individual athletes.

But sporting systems.

Coaches.

Administrators.

Communities.

National federations.

Future generations.

There is an opportunity to think about knowledge exchange rather than simply access.

What skills can be developed?

What relationships can be established?

What capability can be strengthened?

How can Pacific athletes who gain experience internationally eventually contribute that knowledge back into their own sporting communities?

And how can Australia engage with Pacific sport in ways that are genuinely collaborative and responsive to what Pacific nations identify as valuable?

I don’t have all the answers.

And I don’t think any one person or organisation does.

That’s exactly why I believe the conversation matters.

Sport can build relationships that last beyond the competition

Sport has always had an extraordinary ability to connect people.

Different countries.

Different cultures.

Different communities.

Different experiences.

As a Papua New Guinean athlete who trained in Australia and now lives and works in Brisbane, I’ve experienced that connection personally.

Brisbane 2032 gives us an opportunity to think intentionally about what those sporting relationships could become.

Not simply:

How many Pacific athletes can compete in Brisbane?

But:

What can we build together on the road to Brisbane 2032?

And:

What will remain when the Games are over?

If Brisbane 2032 truly becomes a home Games for the Pacific, perhaps its greatest legacy won’t only be found in the medals, records or moments we celebrate during those few weeks.

It could be found in the athletes who leave sport with opportunities ahead of them.

The coaches who return home with new knowledge.

The administrators and leaders who have developed new skills.

The relationships between Australia and Pacific nations that continue.

And the next generation of Pacific athletes who inherit stronger pathways because of what we chose to build now.

That’s the Brisbane 2032 legacy I’d like us to start talking about.

Pacific Sport Diplomacy | Road to Brisbane 2032

This article forms part of my Pacific Sport Diplomacy | Road to Brisbane 2032 series, exploring the opportunities, challenges and questions Brisbane 2032 creates for Pacific athletes, sporting systems and communities.

As a Papua New Guinean Olympian, keynote speaker and leader with experience across elite athlete wellbeing, education and pathways, I’m particularly interested in how sport can strengthen relationships, create opportunities and build capability between Australia and the Pacific.

I don’t intend this series to provide all the answers.

I want it to contribute to the conversation and learn from the athletes, coaches, administrators, leaders and communities already doing this work across our region.

Invite Anna-Liza to speak, moderate or contribute to conversations about Pacific sport, athlete pathways, high performance and the road to Brisbane 2032.