2018 Commonwealth Games - Welcoming Saint Helena to the Sunshine Coast

Athletes from remote Saint Helena will join the growing contingent of Commonwealth Games athletes training on the Sunshine Coast next year in their quest for gold.

A British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, approximately 3300km from South Africa, St Helena has a population of just 4500 and will be contesting its sixth Commonwealth Games after making its debut in the Brisbane 1982 Games.

Its athletes will join Team Scotland, Team Wales, Team Isle of Man and Team Niue and a number of athletes from sporting teams, including Australia’s Olympic champion women’s sevens rugby squad, who will be staying on the Sunshine Coast.

Saint Helena’s 2018 Games team and family and friends will benefit from a much faster trip to Australia than their 1982 predecessors had to undertake.

They will able to fly directly from the island’s newly christened airport.

In previous years, the journey from Saint Helena started with a ship voyage to either Cape Town (taking five days) or Ascension Island (taking three days).

Tourism, Sport and Major Events Portfolio Councillor Jason O’Pray said planning was underway for a range of activities to leverage the teams’ visits to the Sunshine Coast.

“Sunshine Coast Council and key stakeholders will be embracing the opportunities that the Commonwealth Games will bring to our region,” Cr OPray said.

“As a community we will also warmly welcome the visiting athletes, the training staff and their supporters and ensure their stay is productive and fondly remembered.”

Chef de Mission for Team Saint Helena Nick Stevens said he was immediately attracted to the Sunshine Coast for its first-class facilities and beautiful surrounds.

“Most importantly we feel our team will be comfortable in this region and we wish for our team and their families to feel relaxed and welcomed when they are not training,” Mr Stevens said.

Saint Helena athletes will train at a range of locally facilities, including the Sunshine Coast Grammar aquatic facilities.

Sunshine Coast Grammar principal Maria Woods said her school looked forward to welcoming the Saint Helena swimmers, who will train at their newly opened world class swimming facilities.

“Our school is greatly looking forward to welcoming Saint Helena and showcasing our new swimming facilities,” she said.

“It will also be a great opportunity for our community to engage and experience all of the excitement of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

“Many of our school community would not know about Saint Helena and we’re certainly looking forward to learning more about this country and their people.”

Around 500 athletes, training staff and supporters will stay on the Sunshine Coast in preparation for the Commonwealth Games, generating a stay of more than 7000 room nights with an estimated contribution of up to $1.5 million to the local economy.

Full details of community engagement opportunities will be released in the New Year.

Fast Facts about Saint Helena

Saint Helena is a volcanictropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean, 4000km east of Rio de Janeiro and 1950km west of the Cunene River, which marks the border between Namibia and Angola in south-western Africa.

It is part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 kilometres and has a population of 4534 (2016 census).

It is one of the most remote islands in the world, and was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1502.

Saint Helena has a small population, mainly descended from people from Europe (mostly planters, government employees and ex-soldiers serving in the local Saint Helena Regiment), Chinese (itinerant workers from about 1810) and slaves (mostly from Madagascar and Asia, only a few coming from Africa from 1840 onward).

Saint Helenians, also known as “Saints”, are known for their friendliness – everyone waves and greets each other, even to passing cars.