Upgrades are ongoing at Chandler’s Brisbane SX International BMX Centre as preparations continue for the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships, with the venue being readied for international competition.
A Venue Under Construction For International Racing
Within the Sleeman Sports Complex, the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre is continuing to undergo precinct upgrades aimed at meeting international BMX racing standards. The works are focused on preparing the site for a large international field set to compete in July 2026.
The 400-metre BMX Supercross track remains central to these upgrades, with refinements underway in line with global design requirements. The course is set to feature both 5-metre and 8-metre start ramps, along with timing systems installed across the track to monitor performance.
Photo Credit: Sleeman Sports Complex
Brisbane SX International BMX Centre Builds Towards July 2026
The 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships will run from 17 to 25 July, with all competition scheduled at the Chandler venue. The event will include Championship racing across Elite, Under 23 and Junior categories, followed by Challenge and Masters competitions later in the program.
This format places higher-level racing at the beginning of the event, before transitioning into broader participation categories across the remaining days. Practice sessions and qualification rounds will precede finals throughout the nine-day schedule.
Photo Credit: Sleeman Sports Complex
Activity Continues As Works Progress
Despite ongoing upgrades, the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre continues to operate as a training venue. Weekly gate practice sessions take place on Thursday evenings, allowing riders to use the start ramps and timing systems during preparation.
The broader Sleeman Sports Complex supports this activity with accommodation, gymnasiums, recovery facilities and additional sporting spaces. Its proximity to Brisbane International Airport also allows for ongoing training camps in the lead-up to the championships.
Photo Credit: Sleeman Sports Complex
Focus Shifts Towards The Event
With July 2026 approaching, attention in Chandler is gradually turning from construction to readiness. The track is continuing to take shape as works progress, with preparations aimed at hosting a large international BMX racing event.
By the time competition begins, the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre is expected to bring together thousands of riders on a single course, placing Chandler at the centre of BMX racing during the championship period.
Lisa Trendle from Manly West has lived with multiple sclerosis for 24 years, but the 60-year-old swimmer continues proving the condition doesn’t control her life through competitive swimming and record-breaking achievements.
The Brisbane Southside Masters swimmer swims under S9 classification due to MS, a disease affecting the brain and spinal cord that can cause permanent nerve damage. Lisa Trendle has transformed her diagnosis into motivation, building a remarkable competitive record that includes nine gold medals from the 2024 Masters Short Course State Titles and 67 broken records.
In October 2025, she reached an extraordinary milestone, swimming one million metres in a year while maintaining a full training regime and working full-time.
Living With MS for Over Two Decades
Lisa Trendle was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis nearly 24 years ago, joining Masters swimming in 2005 with Brisbane Southside Masters after starting with River City Masters in 2003. MS affects her swimming through fatigue, slight paralysis on one side and lack of sensation in parts of her body.
Despite these challenges, she can still kick thanks to muscle memory. Swimming provides normality in her life and allows participation in activities others can enjoy without the limitations MS might impose. She refused to be left behind because of her condition.
The disease attacks the protective sheath covering nerve fibres, eventually causing permanent damage. Symptoms vary widely between patients depending on where nerve damage occurs. Some people lose the ability to walk, while others experience long remission periods. There’s no cure, though treatments help manage symptoms and slow progression.
Lisa Trendle took up swimming specifically to prove she could still swim with MS and that MS did not control her. Over 32 years with the condition, she has become a positive MS ambassador, encouraging others with disabilities to get classified and compete.
Lisa Trendle’s routine at Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler demonstrates remarkable dedication. She wakes at 3.30am, feeds her two rescue cats, and heads out the door by 4am for training sessions that average 27 to 28 kilometres of swimming weekly.
Her schedule includes gym work five days weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, plus yoga on Sunday afternoons. She maintains a mostly plant-based diet with no junk food, alcohol or smoking. The regimen also incorporates neuro physio, exercise physiology and walking.
Even a recent skin cancer removal procedure didn’t slow her down. Lisa Trendle continued swimming without time off, simply using waterproof dressings to protect the surgical site. Her medical and support team enable the consistency that builds competitive success.
The million-metre achievement in October 2025 required averaging over 2,700 metres daily for an entire year while balancing all other training components and work commitments. This isn’t recreational swimming but dedicated athletic performance.
Competitive Success and Record Breaking
Lisa Trendle competes regularly in Queensland State Swimming Championships, where she has won six gold medals over her career. Her nine golds from the 2024 Masters Short Course State Titles added to an already impressive medal collection.
The 67 records she has broken span multiple events and age groups within multi-class swimming. She also participated in a world record relay team, swimming alongside teammates in an officially recognised performance.
Masters Swimming Queensland recognised her achievements with a World MS Day Award, acknowledging both her competitive success and her role encouraging others with MS to pursue swimming. She is described as a trailblazer for her club and for other athletes with disabilities.
Lisa Trendle credits Masters Swimming Queensland with taking her swimming dreams across Queensland and South Australia. The organisation’s support structure allows classified swimmers to compete at various levels, creating pathways from local competitions through to national events.
Goals and Resilience Through Setbacks
Lisa Trendle shares her approach to goal setting through the SMART framework: Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Target. She emphasises working backwards from goals, creating step-by-step plans, and adjusting when external factors interfere.
Her philosophy acknowledges that MS can flare up, rest might be inadequate, or goals might be set too ambitiously. She encourages giving yourself credit for stepping outside comfort zones even when falling short of targets initially.
The loss of her mother in 2014, her biggest supporter, hit particularly hard. But Lisa Trendle says that pain strengthened her resolve rather than diminishing it. She believes self-belief is a gift people give themselves, describing herself and others with MS as “BUF” (Beautiful, Unstoppable, Fearless).
What This Means for Manly West
For Manly West residents, Lisa Trendle demonstrates how chronic illness doesn’t preclude athletic achievement. Her 3.30am wake-ups and rigorous training happen in the same suburb where neighbours pursue their own goals.
The million-metre achievement and competitive success show what sustained commitment produces. Lisa Trendle built capabilities through consistent training since 2003, adapting to MS limitations while refusing to accept them as absolute barriers.
PACE at Sleeman Sports Complex praised her determination and resilience. Supporters note she serves as inspiration for others living with MS, proving adaptive pathways exist for demanding physical activities.
The future of gymnastics at Chandler remains uncertain. Queensland Gymnastics raises concerns over the sport’s exclusion from Brisbane 2032 venue announcements despite planned upgrades to the Chandler Sports Precinct.
Gymnastics Queensland has expressed concerns about the future of gymnastics at Chandler. This is following the Brisbane 2032 venue announcement. The recent unveiling of Olympic venues did not include the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler. This left Queensland Gymnastics feeling overlooked. The complex recently faced issues with leaking roofs during heavy rainfall. These issues highlight the need for urgent upgrades.
Chris Rushton, head of Queensland Gymnastics, plans to meet with Queensland’s Minister for the Olympics and Paralympics, Tim Mander. Mr Rushton intends to seek clarity on whether the Chandler facility will receive the necessary upgrades or be replaced. He has voiced disappointment at the sport’s omission from the venue list, considering gymnastics has a significant following in the state.
Despite the uncertainty, the State previously announced a $257 million upgrade for the Chandler Sports Precinct. The upgrade aims to transform it into a modern multi-sports hub ahead of Brisbane 2032. Plans include a new indoor sports centre, upgrades to the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, and improvements to site accessibility and connectivity.
The new indoor facility is set to include 10,000 spectator seats and two halls—one with 10 multi-sport courts and the other dedicated to gymnastics, measuring 2,400 square metres. The project, funded through the Minor Venues Program, is expected to create 210 construction jobs and provide community access well before the Games.
State Response and Community Sentiment
Mr Mander acknowledged that the Chandler gymnastics centre requires improvements, stating that not all Olympic sports were mentioned during the initial venue announcement. He reassured the community that discussions on the future of the gymnastics facility are ongoing.
Local athletes and coaches hope the planned upgrades will secure gymnastics’ place in the 2032 Olympics. Many believe the proposed improvements will benefit the sport but remain concerned about the lack of official confirmation.
Caption: For Illustration Purposes Only Photo Credit: Gymnastics Queensland/Facebook
Next Steps and Ongoing Concerns
Construction at the Chandler Sports Precinct is slated to begin in 2025 and finish by 2027, ensuring the upgraded facilities will be used well before the Games. However, Queensland Gymnastics remains uncertain whether the planned facilities will meet the sport’s requirements for Olympic competition.
Gymnastics stakeholders are keen to see official confirmation of the sport’s future at Chandler. Discussions between the State and gymnastics representatives will continue in the coming weeks.
