The Vortex - February 2026: Brit Bid Battle Takes Shape For 2036-40 Olympics
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Manchester is considering a Great Britain bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, the Sunday Times revealed at the weekend, through a project called The Great North, a collaboration that includes the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham.
He has written to Lisa Nandy, the UK culture (and sports secretary), calling for a commitment to any future UK Olympic bid being based in the north.
The 2036 Olympics bidding process is currently in a "continuous dialogue" phase, as the IOC puts it. Interested bidders include India, Qatar, Turkey, and Chile, so far. There is not fixed, traditional timeline, though a host city is expected to be selected by the IOC sometime in 2027 or 2028, with 2030 the deadline for a choice to be made.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has also expressed his wish to see the Games return to the British capital and has asked the UK government for "clarity of intent" and a decision to support a feasibility study. That would be part of any actual bid for the 2036 or 2040 Games.
Burnham is opposed to a London bid, which "wouldn't be fair or right", he told The Times, adding that a northern bid is "what Britain needs right now".
Meanwhile, Business Insider has come up with a list of 10 former Olympic stadiums and what they look like today. Written by Gabbi Shaw, here are the top-and-tail lines in her feature that coincides with the Winter Olympics being held in Milan-Cortina:
Gabbi Shaw
Andy Reid named Swim Ireland national performance director
Swim Ireland has appointed Andy Reid as its new permanent national performance director after the 2025 departure of Jon Rudd.
Reid, an Irish international in his day, has worked with Swim Ireland since 2010 and was appointed to his current role in an interim capacity last May.
The former head of performance pathways & operations will be responsible for
- overseeing Swim Ireland's performance strategy
- enhancing coach and athlete development pathways
- supporting performance outcomes across major international competitions, including European Championships, World Championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Talking to RTE, Reid said:
"I am incredibly honoured and proud to be appointed national performance director with Swim Ireland. Having been involved in Irish swimming for over 40 years as an athlete, coach and most recently as head of performance pathways and operations, this role means a great deal to me. I’m excited by the challenge ahead and the opportunity to build on the strong foundations already in place.
"We have outstanding athletes, coaches and support staff, who are deeply committed to achieving their true potential, representing Ireland with pride on the international stage and challenging for podium finishes."
February 9
Craig Lord
Shoal Of Big Names Off To China Open, When Pan Awaits Chalmers, McEvoy's Mind On The Dash
The China Open and National Spring Championships in Shenzhen from March 19-22 will feature a clash of Aussie freestyle Olympic-champion sprinters Cameron McEvoy (50m, Paris 2024) and Kyle Chalmers (100m, Rio 2016, silver in 2020one and 2024) with the host's Pan Zhanle.
In Paris two years ago this summer, Pan became Olympic 100m free champion a relative ocean ahead of Chalmers as the first man to win the blue ribband title in Olympic waters by more than a second since Johnny Weissmuller retained the crown at Amsterdam 1928 four years after he lifted the title for the first time, at Paris 1924:
Craig Lord
Other overseas challengers heading to the China Open are Italy’s Thomas Ceccon and Nicolo Martinenghi, Switzerland’s Noe Ponti, and Americans Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh, of UVA, as well as Jack Alexy and Regan Smith, all five Team USA swimmers medallists at Singapore Worlds last year.
China's contingent is likely to include 13-year-old Yu Zidi and the training partner she cites as an inspiration, Li Bingjie:
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
Siobhán Haughey In Fine Fettle At Dubai Open
Hong Kong ace Siobhán Haughey claimed three wins at the Dubai Open over three days to Sunday. The highlight: a 52.77 curtain-closer in the 100m free.
On Friday, Haughey, Olympic 100 and 200 free silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 an bronze medallists in the same events at Paris 2024, took the 200-50m-dash double in respective times of 1:54.85 and 24.67.
Haughey finished second in the 50 breaststroke on Saturday in 30.83 and third in the 50 butterfly, on a career-best 26.87, while a career-best 29.28 for fifth place in the 50m backstroke served as the warm-up for her curtain-closing 52.77 in the 100m free. Her best is a 52.02, but a 52.77 in early February is speedy enough to set the early global pace at the helm of the 2026 rankings.
The meet was run by Hamilton Aquatics and featured a score of other internationals.
