Australia's Isaac Beacroft, a teenage race walker, recently clinched gold at the Commonwealth Games, positioning him as a contender for a medal at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. However, the future of his event hangs in the balance as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) considers removing race walking, alongside sports like surfing, skateboarding, and climbing, in a series of secretive discussions in Switzerland.

In response, various sports are innovating to secure their places:

• Modern pentathlon has replaced horse riding with a ninja obstacle course.
• Canoe sprint shifts focus to shorter, more thrilling 500m races.

Beacroft proposes a microchip in race walkers' shoes to enhance judging accuracy by detecting flight time, which he believes will increase respect for the sport. He also suggests moving the event distance to a half marathon to broaden its appeal.

The IOC plans to reduce the number of sports at Brisbane, capping athlete participation at 10,500. Traditional sports like swimming, gymnastics, and athletics are safe, while disciplines like race walking are at risk. The IOC is evaluating each sport based on:

• Television audience
• Cost and complexity of facilities
• Size of athlete cohorts

Several Australian athletes, including skateboarders Arisa Trew and Chloe Covell, climber Oceana Mackenzie, and surfer Molly Picklum, face uncertainty about their Olympic futures. Their sports may need to be added as host picks, limited to four, which could lead to fierce competition from other Australian favorites.

The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has suggested using existing facilities in Sydney and Melbourne to mitigate costs, echoing the model of the Paris Games.

With $7.1 billion committed to infrastructure, a detailed budget awaits IOC decisions. The core sports list is expected by early next year, while final decisions will occur at the IOC session in April. Beacroft remains hopeful, stating, "I kind of keep my fingers crossed that it’s going to be in Brisbane," while acknowledging the need for modernization in the Olympics.