Diack was visting the Gold Coast for the Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) Congress and also opened the organisation's office in Varsity Lakes.

Diack also met the Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke, the 1964 Olympic 10,000 metres silver medallist who set 12 world records during his career, who he described as a "legend".

"I am impressed with the athletics facilities the city had and the venues it was planning for the Commonwealth Games," said Diack.

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Bid chief executive Mark Peters said a key point of the tour, which Queensland's Minister for Sport Phil Reeves also attended, was to point out that Carrara would be superior to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was the centrepiece of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, at staging athletics events.

"The spectators will be a lot closer to the action at Carrara and Mr Diack acknowledged that was a real positive,'' said Peters.

"Gold Coast Stadium will be the centrepiece of the 2018 Commonwealth Games and its completion this year demonstrates that already Gold Coast City has major venue infrastructure in place.

Peters also claimed said the fact the Oceania Athletics Association regional office was based on the Gold Coast was a major advantage for the city's bid, which is facing opposition from Hambantota in Sri Lanka.

"It reinforces what we are saying about the Gold Coast being an excellent training centre for sport," he said.

"It offers the opportunity for more athletics programs to come here."


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