Queensland Academy of Sport

The Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) is an elite sports institute set up in 1991 by the Queensland Government to support athletes in the state of Queensland. Its headquarters are currently located at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre in Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland.[1]

History

The Academy was opened in May 1991 to rival the other states' institutes of sport. They were headquartered at South Bank, South Brisbane, including with a sport science laboratory.[2] A gymnasium was later added, then a North Queensland branch to support regional elite athletes.[2] Inaugural scholarship holders included swimmers Susie O'Neill and Kieran Perkins, and short-track ice speedskater Steven Bradbury.[2]

In 2004 the QAS moved to the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Nathan, South Brisbane, "with facilities including a competition-standard athletics track, strength and conditioning gymnasium, state-of-the-art sport science laboratory, and nutrition training centre".[2] SPIKE (Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence) was introduced as a research hub collaboration with universities and industry.[2]

In 2009, QAS changed to a primary focus on nine specific sports (athletics, canoeing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, swimming, triathlon, and water polo), with collaborative relationships with state sporting organisations (including baseball, basketball, cricket, diving, football, golf, netball, rugby league, rugby union, sailing, softball, tennis, and volleyball).[2]

In 2022 the gymnasium was undergoing a $9.8M refit, with "upgraded biomechanical and physiological testing, a blood lab, and an instrumented running track".[2]

In 2025 the Para Unit was created, to provide talent identification, identify participation pathways, and develop athletes, in the approach to the Brisbane 2032 Summer Paralympics.[3] Within one year, the QAS Para Unit was supporting 103 Para-athletes,[3] including Raissa Martin[4] (goalball) and the sport of alpine skiing.[5]

That year also saw the Queensland Government establish the QAS as a statutory body to assist emerging and elite Queensland athletes achieve Olympic and Paralympic success, identify and foster talent, and collaborate with other sporting organisations and institutes.[6]

Programmes

The QAS has thirteen squads over ten sports. These programs include athletics, canoeing, cycling, gymnastics (men and women), hockey (men and women), netball, rowing, sailing, swimming, and water polo (men and women).[7] By 2001 the Academy has supported over 580 athletes across twenty-four sports including rugby league, rugby union, and golf.[2] QAS athletes have been successful at various Olympic and Paralympic Games, including Athens 2004 with 91 athletes achieving 60 medals, and for 2008 Beijing, 68 athletes with 25 medals representing 54% of Australia's medal tally.[2]

In 1992 the QAS soccer programme commenced for elite youth players, working with Football Queensland including the "Emerging Female Program".[8] QAS has many partnership programs with other team sports too including the Queensland Baseball Academy.[9]

In early 2026, QAS talent scouts did regional visits using artificial intelligence software for real-time assessment of potential elite athletes.[10]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ History of QAS Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Queensland Academy of Sport. Accessed 7 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 "Happy 30th birthday to the Queensland Academy of Sport". Queensland Academy of Sport. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Crisafulli Government marks one year of Para Unit". Ministerial Statements. The State of Queensland (Department of the Premier and Cabinet). 7 February 2026. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Raissa Martin". Queensland Academy of Sport. 2026. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Regional Queensland powers Paralympic pathway". Queensland Academy of Sport. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Report No. 6, 58th Parliament – Queensland Academy of Sport Bill 2025". The State of Queensland (Queensland Parliament). 2026. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Sports Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Queensland Academy of Sport. Accessed 7 August 2009.
  8. ↑ "Football Queensland Academy". Football Queensland. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Partnership Programs Archived 28 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Queensland Academy of Sport. Accessed 7 August 2009.
  10. ↑ BOWLES, Annabel (1 March 2026). "Queensland talent scouts use 'world-first' AI to broaden search for 2032 Olympians". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 14 August 2026.


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