Chandler’s Brisbane Aquatic Centre will host open and age-group swimmers from across Australia in 2027 and 2029, with thousands of competitors set to race at the venue as younger athletes progress along the pathway towards Brisbane 2032.
Swimming Australia has confirmed the Australian Open, Australian Age and Australian Age Multi-Class Championships will be staged at the centre in both years. Together, the championships make up the largest event on Australia’s annual swimming calendar.
Approximately 3,000 competitors from more than 200 swimming clubs across Australia are expected to take part across about two weeks of competition.
Two Weeks Of Racing At Chandler
The 2027 program will open with the Australian Open from 12 to 14 April. Some of Australia’s biggest swimming names are expected to compete, with the meet scheduled as one of the final major events before Trials later in May.
Age-group competition will follow from 16 to 23 April, when national champions will be decided across eight days at the Australian Age Championships.
The Australian Age Multi-Class Championships will complete the program from 23 to 25 April.
Dates for the 2029 championships have not yet been announced.
Photo Credit: Sleeman Sports Complex
Brisbane Aquatic Centre Part Of Age-Group Pathway
Swimming Australia has identified the national age championships as an important part of the pathway towards Brisbane 2032 for younger swimmers.
The calibre of the age-group competition was evident in 2026, when 18 Australian Age records were broken. Sienna Toohey and Henry Allan were among the swimmers identified as emerging on the international stage.
The championships scheduled for Chandler in 2027 and 2029 will again bring competitors from clubs around Australia together at the national level during the years leading towards Brisbane 2032.
The Brisbane Aquatic Centre has a 13-lane warm-up pool, an indoor 25-metre learn-to-swim pool and a utility pool. Its main indoor competition pool has 10 lanes across 50 metres and seating for about 4,300 spectators.
Thousands Of Competitors Heading To Brisbane
The approximately 3,000 competitors from more than 200 clubs are expected to generate about 70,000 visitor nights in Brisbane across the championship program.
More than $15 million in economic benefits are also projected from the events.
For 2027, national competition at Chandler will begin with the Australian Open on 12 April before the age-group championships take over later that month, with the final Multi-Class races scheduled for 25 April.
The event was due to take place at the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre on Sunday, 19 July 2026. However, strong westerly winds made the track unsafe. Riders could not begin the final rounds, and officials waited to see whether conditions would improve.
The Union Cycliste Internationale, known as the UCI, later cancelled the remaining elite races. The decision brought an unusual end to a major international sporting event at Chandler.
Completed results decide the medals
With no finals completed, officials used results from the last completed rounds to decide the medals.
Great Britain’s Bethany Shriever claimed the elite women’s title after recording the fastest qualifying time of 36.585 seconds. The result gave Shriever her fourth BMX world title. She had previously won in 2021, 2023 and 2025. Australia’s Saya Sakakibara took silver with a time of 36.908 seconds. Dutch rider Laura Smulders received bronze.
Sakakibara entered the Brisbane championships as one of the leading contenders in the women’s event. The 26-year-old won gold at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 and hoped to claim her first elite world title before an Australian crowd.
She advanced through Saturday’s racing and held the second-fastest time before the weather stopped further competition. After receiving silver, Sakakibara said she remained proud of the lap she completed. She also acknowledged that the result hurt more because the championships were held at home.
She had hoped to win gold but accepted that the weather was outside the riders’ control.
The local crowd also left a strong impression on her. Sakakibara said the support from spectators at the start hill made the occasion special despite the disappointing finish.
For Australian rider Jesse Asmus, the completed results were enough to secure the elite men’s title.
Asmus became the world champion after setting the fastest time in the completed racing. He finished ahead of Great Britain’s Ross Cullen and France’s Mathis Ragot Richard. The title marked a major step in his career. Asmus had won his first Australian national title only three months earlier.
Still, the result brought mixed feelings.
Asmus said the win felt different because he did not race across the finish line in front of the home crowd. Even so, he recognised the title as an important achievement. He had also watched the weather forecast before Sunday’s program. As a result, Asmus treated Saturday’s laps as if they might decide the championship. He focused on recording clean and fast times while racing could continue. His leading time later proved enough to secure the rainbow jersey.
Queensland rider Josh Jolly also secured a title through his strong qualifying performance.
Jolly won the under-23 men’s world title after recording the fastest completed time in his category. He posted 33.681 seconds. The result followed his move to Brisbane earlier in 2026. Jolly relocated to train in Queensland and work alongside riders including Asmus. The victory became his second BMX world title. He had previously won the junior men’s championship in the United States in 2024.
Australia also collected medals in the junior events. Cameron Gatt won silver, while Isla Basa secured bronze. The national team had faced an earlier setback when Izaac Kennedy crashed during practice on Friday. The crash ruled him out of the championships.
The championships also drew interest as Brisbane prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.
The BMX centre at Chandler showed how the venue handled a major international competition. The cancellation also highlighted the value of allowing extra time for weather delays. The World Championships did not have a spare day for the elite finals. Organisers also needed to prepare for the next stage of the program.
By comparison, the Olympic BMX program is expected to include a contingency day for weather delays and this may allow racing to continue later when unsafe conditions interrupt competition.
Although the elite world titles ended early, the wider championships continued at the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre.
Challenge and Masters racing was scheduled from Wednesday, 22 July, to Saturday, 25 July, as part of an event involving more than 3,000 riders. These events bring together riders from many countries across a wide range of age categories. Asmus also remained at the venue in a team management role. He planned to support younger Australian riders through their events.
The Chandler BMX program will move from championship practice and finals into four Challenge competition days, bringing riders from more than 40 nations to the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre.
Running from Friday, 17 July to Saturday, 25 July, the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships will divide its nine-day schedule between the Championship and Challenge programs.
Three Days Decide The Championship Titles
The opening Friday will place the championship field on the track for official practice from 10am to 2pm.
Meet Your Heroes Day will run alongside the session, with selected members of the Australian team taking part in appearances, signing sessions and a live question-and-answer program.
Qualification will follow on Saturday, 18 July. Riders are scheduled on the track from 9:10am until 4pm, with the first race beginning at noon.
The Championship finals and awards will be held on Sunday, 19 July. Track activity will run from 9:50am to 3pm, and the first race is again scheduled for noon.
Sunday’s winners will earn the right to wear the UCI rainbow jersey until the following world championships. The jersey carries bands of blue, red, black, yellow and green.
Photo Credit: 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships
Australian Riders Face An International Field
Olympic champion Saya Sakakibara and Gold Coast rider Izaac Kennedy are among the Australians identified as contenders in Chandler.
Sakakibara has won the past three overall UCI BMX Racing World Cup titles. She moved back to the Gold Coast and has spent more time riding the Brisbane track before the world championships.
Kennedy won a Brisbane World Cup round in 2024 before claiming the overall series title that year. He followed that result with silver at the 2025 UCI World Championships.
Defending women’s world champion Bethany Shriever arrives with three world titles and an Olympic gold medal from Tokyo 2020.
The women’s field also includes Canadian Molly Simpson, who won the opening round of the 2026 World Cup, five-time European champion Laura Smulders and Olympic bronze medallist Zoé Claessens.
Alongside Kennedy, the men listed to watch include Eddy Clerté of France, Dutch rider Jaymio Brink, Swiss champion Loris Aeberhard and Colombia’s Diego Arboleda Ospina.
Aeberhard recorded his first two World Cup victories in consecutive rounds before Brisbane. Arboleda Ospina collected the third World Cup win of his career during the opening weekend of the 2026 series in Sarrians, France.
The competing-nations list covers Australia and more than 40 other national teams from across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
Chandler BMX Program Continues With Challenge Racing
After the Championship finals, Challenge practice will take over the track on Monday, 20 July and Tuesday, 21 July.
Car parks will open at 7am on both days, followed by spectator entry at 7:30am and track activity from 8am.
Challenge competition begins on Wednesday, 22 July and continues for four consecutive days. The first race is scheduled for 10am each day, with awards included in every competition-day program.
Riders will be on the track until 4pm on Wednesday and Thursday. Venue closing is scheduled for 4:30pm on both days.
Friday’s track program will run until 4:20pm, followed by a scheduled venue closure at 5pm. The final Saturday session will place riders on the track until 3:55pm, with the venue due to close at 4:30pm.
All closing times may change if racing is delayed.
Photo Credit: 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships
Eight-Metre Start Ramp Shapes The Trackside View
The Brisbane SX International BMX Centre includes an eight-metre start ramp, placing riders above the opening section of the course before the gate drops.
Each start follows a random delay of between 0.1 and 2.7 seconds. Riders then receive four lights and four beeps, with the gate beginning to fall on the fourth signal.
Once racing begins, riders can pedal at up to 220 revolutions per minute, approaching four complete rotations each second.
Ground-pass spectators will watch from trackside areas between the start hills and Turn 3. Grandstand seats run along the finish straight, while outdoor screens will operate between Turns 1 and 3 and near the awards stage.
Another screen will be available inside the Anna Meares Velodrome, which also provides seating and undercover protection away from the track.
Entry, Transport And Venue Facilities
About 40,000 spectators are expected across the nine-day event.
Parking at Sleeman Sports Complex and the Belmont Shooting Complex must be booked in advance. Bus routes 250 and 270 stop at the Sleeman Centre on Old Cleveland Road, and bicycle parking will be available near the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
Ticket QR codes will be scanned through the AXS app. Visitors will also pass through security screening, including bag checks, when entering the venue.
Food and drink outlets, free water refill points, first aid, accessible toilets and an accessible viewing platform will operate within the precinct. Pram storage and baby-change facilities will also be available.
Umbrellas and camp chairs are not permitted. Smoking and vaping are prohibited within the ticketed area, with a separate designated area outside the perimeter.
The published schedule remains subject to change, including adjustments caused by racing delays.
Before the world titles are decided, the Chandler BMX weekend will give spectators a close look at championship practice, seven Australian riders and a qualifying day accompanied by family activities.
Final Practice Brings Australian Riders Closer To Fans
Meet Your Heroes Day will begin the public program at the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre on Friday, 17 July.
Spectators will be able to watch the championship field complete its official practice between 10am and 2pm, providing an early view of the riders before qualification and finals racing begins.
The Australian appearance line-up features Olympic champion Saya Sakakibara and four-time Olympian Lauren Reynolds, who are scheduled to take part in a live question-and-answer session.
Jesse Asmus, Sienna Pal, Jordan Callum, Mia Webster and Zane Bourke are also listed for signing sessions and other appearances. The sessions will provide opportunities for autographs, signed rider cards and photographs.
Asmus enters the event as the reigning elite national champion. Pal won silver in the junior category at a UCI World Championships before moving directly into elite competition at 18, while Callum, Webster and Bourke compete for Australia at under-23 level.
The appearance program remains subject to change because of competition, training, travel, illness or other team commitments.
Car parks will open at 9am and spectator gates at 9:30am. The venue is scheduled to close at 2:30pm, subject to any delays, while adult tickets start from $10.
Chandler BMX Weekend Moves Into Qualification
The focus will shift to racing and family activities on Saturday, 18 July, when Family Day runs alongside the championship qualification program.
Riders are scheduled to be on the track from 9:10am until 4pm, with the first race beginning at noon. Car parks will open at 8am, followed by spectator entry from 8:30am.
Bluey and Bingo are due to appear during three meet-and-greet sessions. Participation is included with event entry, but advance registration is required and places are limited.
Potential activities listed for the day include face painting, photographs, prizes, giveaways and other meet-and-greet opportunities. A scavenger hunt will be available to the first 1,000 spectators through the gates.
Photo Credit: 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships
Giant bubbles, stilt walkers and roaming entertainment are also planned, while food trucks and the event village will operate around the racing program.
Family Day tickets are listed at $60 for adults, $40 for children aged five to 12 and $180 for a family. Children aged four and under can enter free. A separate grandstand ticket is required when a child aged four or under will occupy a seat.
The venue is scheduled to close at 4:30pm, although that time may change if racing is delayed.
Two Opening Days Lead Into Championship Finals
The Brisbane SX International BMX Centre sits within the Sleeman Sports Complex at the corner of Old Cleveland Road and Tilley Road in Chandler.
Friday’s practice and Saturday’s qualification program will lead into the championship finals and awards on Sunday, 19 July.
Car parks will open at 9am on finals day, with spectator gates opening at 9:30am. Riders are scheduled on the track from 9:50am until 3pm, and the first race will begin at noon.
A substantial new service station and fast-food outlet is slated for a vast rural site at the prominent intersection of Old Cleveland Road and New Cleveland Road in Chandler, utilising less than seven per cent of the total land area.
The development application has been formally lodged for the project, which aims to cater to both local commuters and regional traffic passing through the area.
While the site spans an expansive 103,200 square metres, the proposed service station and fast-food premises will occupy a development footprint of approximately 8,000 square metres.
Designed by Verve Design Group, the plan features a 360-square-metre service station building. An ancillary food and drink outlet will include a drive-through facility.
To accommodate vehicles, the development will provide 30 parking spaces, with four dedicated bays for electric vehicle (EV) charging. For refuelling, eight stations will be available under a 4.7-metre-high canopy.
Access to the new facility is strategically planned to manage traffic flow efficiently. Motorists will have left-in and left-out access directly from Old Cleveland Road.
Full-movement access, allowing turns in all directions, will be provided from New Cleveland Road. Additionally, new left-turn lanes are proposed at both entry points to assist vehicle movements.
Planners from Benchmark Planning have stated that service stations are a necessary amenity in rural areas, much like in urban localities. They highlight that the proposed development’s footprint of less than seven per cent of the overall site area is consistent with a low-scale, low-intensity rural character.
The planners also noted that the chosen south-eastern corner of the site, at the junction of Old Cleveland Road and New Cleveland Road, is considered the least rural part of the entire property, making it a suitable location for such a commercial venture.
