Bond University has today unveiled another jewel in the Bond Sports crown with the launch of its new multi-million dollar Sports Centre.
The elite sporting facility measures 2,700 sqm and encompasses a gym with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, three group exercise rooms, two beach volleyball courts, a dedicated function area and linkage pathways with Bond’s famous Olympic size pool.
The new Sports Centre was officially opened by Swimming Australia President Mr John Bertrand AM alongside Bond University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford and Bond’s Executive Director of Sport, Mr Garry Nucifora.
Other high-profile guests from the Sporting world included Head Coach of the Australian Swimming team Jacco Verhaeren, Olympic swim champion Mel Wright, triathlete Courtney Atkinson as well as Cr Gary Baildon AM, John-Paul Langbroek MP and Cr Hermann Vorster.
The Sports Centre adds to Bond University's suite of elite sporting facilities including the High Performance Training Centre located within the Bond Institute of Health and Sport (BIHS), competition level rugby and AFL fields and a 50 metre heated pool.
The Centre was designed by BDA Architecture and was built by ADCO Constructions, who are responsible for many of Bond’s educational facilities including the award-winning Abedian School of Architecture and the Sustainable Development Building which was Australia’s first Six Star Green Star educational building.
The new facility is clad in Bond University's signature sandstone and is in keeping with the iconic nature of the campus architecture.
Professor Brailsford said the University's vision to provide programs and facilities to support tomorrow's leaders in sport had been realised with the unveiling of the Sports Centre.
"At Bond, we recognise the values, attitudes and beliefs synonymous with sporting success are a strong contributor to academic achievement and well-rounded graduates," said Professor Brailsford.
"Olympic swimming gold medallist Melanie Wright is a shining example of this, maintaining a gruelling training regime throughout her studies at Bond and graduating with a Masters of Business Administration earlier this year achieving high distinctions along the way.”
“The new Sports Centre, in addition to Bond's existing world-class facilities, will continue to attract high achieving student athletes to the Gold Coast."
Professor Brailsford said the centre would also be utilised by a number of high-profile Australian and international athletes and teams in addition to being available every day to Bond’s students and staff.
"In the next few months alone we will see numerous elite athletes utilise the Sports Centre such as the Australian and New Zealand Rugby national U20s teams, the Japanese Rugby Union squad as well as our Olympic swimming hopefuls Maddie Groves and Cam McEvoy," he said.
"Bond is already home to some of our nation's top coaches, including Australian swimming specialist coach Richard Scarce and professional rugby union coach Sean Hedger, helping our students to achieve the outer limits of their potential.
"Our long-term strategy is to integrate sport into each of Bond University's core functions of learning & teaching, research and engagement to offer tangible opportunities and benefits to students.
Don Knapp, CEO of Australian University Sport, said Bond University was setting a sector-wide standard in recognising the importance of dual career education.
"Bond University is an industry leader in terms of supporting high achievers to pursue excellence in both sport and the classroom," said Mr Knapp.
"Integrating sport into a university's strategy, as Bond has done, has far-reaching benefits by representing an investment in the health and well-being of future generations.
"The new Sports Centre will be a recreational hub for Bond student-athletes and will also undoubtedly lure professional athletes, coaches and academics looking to work with the best in the business.
"I congratulate Bond University on bringing this world-class facility to life and look forward to working closely with the team to help foster our sporting talent Australia-wide."
Bond University is home to 27 sporting clubs including rugby, swimming, AFL, athletics, basketball, equestrian and volleyball.
Bond has a strong history of nurturing Olympic and Paralympic sporting champions and elite athletes across a range of sports, including:
- Aquatics: Andrew Baildon, Chris Fydler, Michael Murphy, Daniel Kowalski, Grant Hackett, Karni Liddel, Melanie Wright (nee Schlanger), Giaan Rooney, Lara Davenport, Ky Hurst, Jade Neilsen, James Roberts
- Triathlon: Miles Stewart, Courtney Atkinson
- Sailing: Mathew Belcher, Daniel Belcher
- Baseball: Andrew Utting
- Rugby: Tim Horan, Ben Daley, Jason Little, James Slipper
- Athletics: Alex Beck
The new Sports Centre will be open for use from next Monday 23 May.