held in March each year and usually sees thousands of people at the venue with professional running races as well as cycling events (featuring the Bendigo Madison) over a two-day carnival. The 400 m Black Opal and 120 m Bendigo Gift finals are conducted before the Bendigo Madison on the second night (Sunday) of the carnival.
Tennis is popular in Bendigo with the Bendigo Tennis Association (BTA) hosting local and national tournaments at its many court locations throughout the city. The Bendigo Indoor Sports & Leisure Centre (BISLC) (five synthetic hard courts) in Strathdale is the only indoor tennis complex in the region and the 30 synthetic hard court Coca-Cola Tennis Complex next to Lake Weeroona is one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. The Bendigo Lawn Tennis Club also has 16 natural grass courts, one of the largest in the region.
Swimming is a popular year-round sport in Bendigo. There are four competitive clubs, the Eaglehawk Swimming Club, Bendigo East Swimming Club, Bendigo Swimming Club and the Kangaroo Flat Swimming Club. The home of the Eaglehawk Swimming Club is located at the Peter Krenz Leisure Centre in Eaglehawk in the city's north-west. Among many other fitness and leisure facilities the centre boasts Central Victoria's only 50m, heated indoor swimming pool. The pool provides for year-round training and competition for swimmers of all ages across the City of Greater Bendigo. Competition-class 50m pools can also be found at the Bendigo Aquatic Centre in the centre of Bendigo and at Bendigo East.
Basketball is popular in Bendigo, the city is home to the Schweppes Centre, home of the Bendigo Braves. The stadiums hosted basketball during the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The city is also home to the Bendigo Basketball Association. Bendigo also has a team, the Bendigo Spirit, in the WNBL (the premier national female basketball competition).
Bendigo was the host to the second Commonwealth Youth Games, held from 30
