Comm Games prep a boon for Aussie athletes

Gold Coast's preparedness for the 2018 Commonwealth Games is one less stress for Australia's athletes, chef de mission Steve Moneghetti says.

Commonwealth Games team chef de mission Steve Moneghetti

Gold Coast's preparedness for the Commonwealth Games is one less stress for Australia's athletes. (AAP)

Australian chef de mission Steve Moneghetti believes Gold Coast's no-worries build-up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games will keep the nation's athletes firmly focused on success in 12 months.

In stark contrast to last year's Rio Olympics or the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, most venues for the Gold Coast Games have already been built or revamped for the event.

The Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre is set to be opened in May in time to host badminton's Sudirman Cup, while renovations to the Belmont Shooting Complex in Brisbane and the Gold Coast Hockey Centre are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

With Tuesday marking one year to go until the Games' opening ceremony at Carrara Stadium next year, Moneghetti says concerns over venues at previous events had certainly played on athletes' minds.

"When everything aligns like that it really does affect an athlete's psyche," Moneghetti told AAP.

"If it's all doom and gloom then they get affected by that. When they're not hearing it and it's all positive they can focus on what it is they need to do.

"The positivity out of everything going well really does help."

The Gold Coast will be Moneghetti's third Games as the team's chef de mission.

After the challenges of Delhi and then being beaten in the medal tally by England at Glasgow in 2014, the former marathon gold medallist says he's thrilled to be at the helm for a home Games.

"It's exciting and there's certainly a lot of momentum, it's now just about making sure we just get that preparation right for the athletes," he said.


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Source: AAP


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