With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games still six years away, Australia's sporting authorities are already working to identify the athletes who might compete in them. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), in partnership with state institutes, Paralympics Australia and more than 30 national sporting organisations, has reopened registrations for its "Future Green and Gold" talent search for 2026.

The programme is designed to find Australians with untapped sporting potential and fast-track them into structured high-performance pathways through testing and sport-matching, regardless of their background or where in the country they live. It is open to Australians aged 13 to 23 for Olympic sports, and 13 and over for Paralympic sports. The 2026 edition will run through multiple capital cities, with Tasmania first on the schedule, and organisers say more than 800 people were already on the waitlist before registrations opened.

The campaign carries the backing of some of Australia's best-known current athletes. Tennis star Alex de Minaur, Olympic kayak cross gold medallist Noemie Fox, two-time Paralympic wheelchair racing champion Madison de Rosario and wheelchair rugby veteran Chris Bond have all signed on as ambassadors. Fox, who only became a household name after her 2024 Olympic success, pointed to her own experience playing multiple sports as a child as part of what helped her become a world-class canoeist.

"For parents or caregivers, the Future Green and Gold talent search exists as an opportunity to expose people to possibilities they might never have considered or otherwise had access to trying," Fox said. "And for any person, this day exists to help you see something within you that you might not yet see and to create a space to help you grow into your potential. So go for it and dare to try!"

Federal Sport Minister Anika Wells framed the initiative as part of the broader push toward 2032. "Sport has a unique ability to inspire Australians and bring communities together — and the Future Green and Gold campaign is about giving more young people the chance to discover what they're capable of," Wells said. "As we build towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, initiatives like this help ensure talented Australians — wherever they live and whatever their background — have the opportunity to pursue their sporting dreams."

The talent search is one piece of a much larger build-up to 2032. The Brisbane Organising Committee has confirmed a series of milestones for the year, including development of the Games' venue master plan and sport programme, further commercial and procurement announcements, and the unveiling of the official Games emblems, as preparations move from planning into delivery.

Chloe Pemberton

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Australia Launches Nationwide Hunt for Its Next Olympic Stars Ahead of Brisbane 2032