Aussies arrive as ‘fortuitous’ forces fuel bid for gold
Roger Vaughan |
The Australians are proving it’s just as important to be lucky as it is to be good as they reach the pointy end of Commonwealth Games preparations.
The lawn bowls team became the first Australian contingent to arrive in Scotland on Sunday (local time), checking into the Glasgow Argyle Hotel four days before the opening ceremony.
Australian officials struck a deal with the Argyle to be the team’s headquarters in November, 2024, beating English counterparts to the punch.
Another part of the imposing logistical jigsaw was solved, about a year ago, via an unsolicited email from Seamus Scorgie, the Australian principal of Glasgow’s St Aloysius College.
Scorgie offered the support of the school, located 1.3 kilometres from the Argyle.
It is now a training venue for Australia’s netballers and 3×3 basketballers, as well as another logistics base.
“It’s very fortuitous … we received an email and he said ‘we have this school, it’s in central Glasgow’,” Australian team chef de mission Petria Thomas told AAP.
“Their school colour is green and their school motto is ‘great things happen in the green blazer’.
“Just the synergies were fantastic and it’s been a great partnership for our team.
“It’s always nice to have a connection to a local school – to feel a part of it … it’s fantastic.”
In these scaled-down Games, which are being run on a tight budget, every nation is looking for meaningful boosts.
While athletes will stay in accommodation across Glasgow, closer to their competition venues, the Argyle will be the Australian base for medical services, recovery and family and friends.
The Argyle is now unmistakably a little part of Australia, featuring large posters on its walls of Commonwealth Games greats such as Cathy Freeman and Anna Meares, and reminders of home.
“It’s good to get one-up on them before the Games even start. We have a friendly rivalry with all of the nations … but particularly, obviously, the English,” Thomas said of securing the hotel.
“We’ve gone head to head for that No.1 spot on the medal tally a number of times.
“We’re here to do the best we can and we think this location will really help us.
“We thought this location, smack bang in the middle of everything, it pretty much ticked every box for us.”
Thomas noted it was a “significant investment” for Commonwealth Games Australia to fund the green-and-gold conversion of the hotel.
Kelsey Cottrell, bowling at her fourth Games, was in awe of the atmosphere.
“They’ve done an amazing job. It felt so cool when we walked in, everyone was clapping and cheering,” Cottrell said.
“We’re the first team to arrive so we’re the guinea pigs.
“Just seeing all the gear, trying it all on, and visiting Aus HQ … it felt very special.
“This is the pinnacle for us.”
Thomas is not a coffee drinker, so the imminent arrival of Australian baristas – the secret weapon of the Australian Olympic team at Paris 2024 – did not excite her as much it will most of the team.
But she took careful note that the iced slushy machine is now up and running.
“I’m sure the coffee will be a huge hit,” Thomas said.
AAP