The Rio Tinto Athletics for the Outback (AFTO) program brings athletics to life in some of Australia’s most remote and regional communities, offering youth the opportunity to move, connect, and grow through sport.
Run by Australian Athletics and powered by the support of Rio Tinto, AFTO delivers tailored athletics experiences, from school clinics and community events to coaching development and carnivals, with a strong focus on collaboration, sustainability, and inclusion.
Since its relaunch in 2022, the program has connected with over 15,000 participants, reaching 65 communities across Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory. In 2024 alone, AFTO delivered more than 85 days of programming, engaging over 10,500 children through accredited coaching, local partnerships, and legacy-building initiatives.
The Rio Tinto Athletics for the Outback [AFTO]program brings athletics directly to remote and regional communities. Programs are flexible and can include:
The Rio Tinto Athletics for the Outback Program is delivered by Australian Athletics and accredited coaches, in partnership with local communities and supported by Rio Tinto.
Reach out to our National Athletics for the Outback Coordinator, Sam Ajisafe:
📧 sam.ajisafe@athletics.org.au
The delivery of the Rio Tinto Athletics in the Outback (AFTO) program in the Northern Territory (NT) since 2022 has undoubtedly produced some of the program’s greatest impact. The NT AFTO program has engaged with some of the most isolated regional and remote communities in Australia, forging cultural connections, uncovering an abundance of raw, natural talent, and bringing excitement and opportunity to First Nations people through the fun and power of the inclusive sport of athletics.
Since the inception of AFTO in the NT, the program has gone from strength to strength with a very clear focus on remote communities that have often not been supported by other sports. Regions such as the Gove Peninsula and East Arnhem land have benefitted greatly from continued and consistent AFTO visits. Through this work, Australian Athletics has been invited to attend sporting events such as the Arnhem Sports Carnival which hosts all homeland/remote schools in the region. Excitingly, the NT AFTO programs have also seen a large cohort of athletes from East Arnhem communities attend the NT Athletics Championships where they, in turn, proceeded to qualify for and compete at the Australian All Schools Championships.
Reach out to our National Coordinator, Sam Ajisafe:
📧 sam.ajisafe@athletics.org.au