Backing Brisbane’s next generation of athletes
Backing Brisbane’s next generation of athletes
The Schrinner Council is backing the next generation of Brisbane athletes in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Games.
In partnership with the Aussie Athlete Fund, the Schrinner Council has established the Team Brisbane AAF Athlete Scholarship Program, with 12 Brisbane-based athletes selected as inaugural members.
Thanks to a $100,000 Council grant, Team Brisbane members will be eligible for up to $10,000 to help cover the rising costs of competing at an elite level.
These athletes represent a range of sports and include both emerging stars and established competitors already performing on the world stage.
Team Brisbane forms part of the Schrinner Council’s commitment to creating a Brisbane 2032 legacy that inspires the next generation of local sporting talent.
Founded by five-time Olympian Natalie Cook OAM OLY, the Aussie Athlete Fund helps talented athletes stay in sport by easing the financial pressure of competing at the highest level.
Australian Sports Foundation research shows almost half of Australia’s top athletes earn below the poverty line, making it harder to cover the cost of training, travel and competition.
The program will support local athletes now, while inspiring future athletes to pursue their sporting dreams.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner
“Team Brisbane is about backing local talent on the road to the Brisbane 2032 Games.
“Brisbane is home to an incredible pipeline of sporting talent and we want young athletes to know their city is behind them every step of the way.
“Elite sport places enormous financial pressure on athletes and their families, and this support will help ease that burden so they can keep competing at the highest level.
“By backing local athletes now, we’re helping create a lasting legacy that will inspire kids across our city to get active and chase their own sporting dreams.”
Quotes attributable to Olympian and Founder of the Aussie Athlete Fund Nat Cook OAM OLY
"Brisbane 2032 is more than a Games — it's a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a sporting economy that lifts everyone. When we invest in athletes like these 12 incredible Brisbanites, we invest in the future of Australian sport and the communities they represent.
"As a five-time Olympian, I know firsthand that the road to the Games is rarely paved with financial certainty. The Aussie Athlete Fund exists because we believe sustainability in sport starts at the grassroots — in our communities, in our cities, in our own backyard.
"When we back our athletes together, we build something bigger than sport — we build community, we build economy, we build the future. The Aussie Athlete Fund – Team Brisbane is proof that sustainable investment in people creates a legacy that lasts well beyond 2032."
Selected Brisbane athletes
- Tenealle Fasala – Water Polo – Carina Heights
- Tom Walvin – Para-cycling – Newstead
- Ryan Edgar – Beach Volleyball, Volleyball – The Gap
- Tahlia Evans – Rugby Union – Milton
- Zayd Joosab – Tennis – Mount Ommaney
- Olivia Wright – Cycling – Westlake
- Tamieka Whitefield – Softball – Toowong
- Ellen Martini – Archery – Corinda
- Max Bailey-Jensen – Boccia (Para) – Corinda
- Finlayson Gillespie – European Handball – Cannon Hill
- India Colombi – Gymnastics – Aspley
- Sophie Leo – Gymnastics – Salisbury
