2017/2018 Australian Athletics Season FAQs

2017/2018 Australian Athletics Season

Which meets feature in the Australian Athletics Season?

The Australian Athletics Season details National, State and Territory Championship events to be hosted, together with other competitions that are delivered by Athletics Australia as part of its national events schedule.

These meets represent the pinnacle of the national athletics competition schedule, with State and Territory Member Associations hosting numerous competition opportunities as part of the Summer of Athletics.

Will there be athlete travel and accommodation funding available in 2017?

Athlete travel and accommodation funding will be targeted toward supporting the success of the Australian athletics section of the Commonwealth Games Team at Gold Coast 2018.

Further information on the mechanisms of this program to be provided in October.

When will the Australian 10,000m Championships be held?

The Australian 10,000m Championships for men and women will be held as part of the Zatopek:10, hosted by Athletics Victoria on Thursday 14 December 2017.

When will the Australian 5000m Championships be held?

As in previous years the 5000m returns to the Australian Athletics Championships program with the other track and field events to be held at Carrara Stadium from 15-18 February 2018.

When will the Australian Combined Event Championships be held?

The Australian Combined Events Championships for athletes competing in the Open men and women will be held as part of the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships and Nomination Trial on 15-18 February 2018.

The Australian Junior Combined Events Championships are to be confirmed and will be advised as soon as possible.

What opportunities are there if I compete in the race walk?

The Australian Athletics Season features both the Australian 20km Race Walking Championships and the Australian 50km Race Walking Championships, to be held in Adelaide (SA) and Melbourne (Vic) respectively on Sunday 11 February 2018 and Sunday 3 December 2017.

What other opportunities are there for me to compete?

Member Associations of Athletics Australia offer a broad range of competition opportunities in which we encourage athletes to compete.

Athletics Australia will be collaborating with its Member Associations to provide a national schedule of events held in each state, other than those detailed as part of the Australian Athletics Season, with this schedule to be regularly updated.

More information will be provided at athletics.com.au in the coming weeks.

2017 AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

What is the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships?

The 2018 Australian Athletics Championships will be held at Carrara Stadium, the athletics stadium for Gold Coast 2018.

Set to welcome the best athletes from across Australia in the race for the coveted title of national champion, the four days of competition will double as the Nomination Trial for the Commonwealth Games.

When will the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships be held?

The 2018 Australian Athletics Championships will be held from 15-18 February 2018.

Where will the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships be held?

The 2018 Australian Athletics Championships will be held at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast.

When will the draft timetable of events for the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships be released?

Athletics Australia will publish a draft timetable for the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships in October 2017.

How and where do I qualify to compete at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships?

Athletes must achieve a qualifying performance at a National, State or Territory approved event within the Qualifying Period to compete at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships.

State and Territory sanctioned events are highlighted on Member Association websites.

Where can I find information about para-athletics classification that allows me to compete at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships?

All para-athletes that compete at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships need to have been classified domestically prior to the commencement of competition. For more information on getting classified, please click here.

How do I register my interest to volunteer at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships?

To register your interest to volunteer at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships, please contact the Events & Logistics Manager at Athletics Australia.

Email: officials@athletics.org.au
Phone: (03) 8646 4550

2018 STATE & TERRITORY CHAMPIONSHIPS

What are State and Territory Championships?

State and Territory championships are multi-day events hosted by the Member Associations of Athletics Australia. These championships provide athletes the chance to compete for the title of State or Territory champion.

When will State and Territory Championships be held?

The Member Associations of Athletics Australia determine the timings of their respective 2018 State and Territory Championships.

The dates of these events are as follows:
19-21 January: WA Athletics Championships – Perth (WA)
26-28 January: ACT Athletics Championships – Canberra (ACT)
2-4 February: NSW, QLD & SA Athletics Championships – Sydney (NSW), Brisbane (Qld) and Adelaide (SA)
2-4 March: VIC Athletics Championships – Melbourne (Vic)
23-25 March: TAS Athletics Championships – Hobart (Tas)

Please note that the Northern Territory Athletics Championships will be held in August 2018.

Where can I find out further information about State and Territory championships?

For more information on State and Territory championships, please visit athletics.com.au by clicking here.

On this page, you will be able to follow links to the websites of each of the Athletics Australia Member Associations, on which you can find relevant competition information for Championships hosted in your State or Territory.

Can I compete at a State and Territory Championship separate to my regular Member Association?

Yes. Athletes are encouraged to compete in any of the State and Territory Championships hosted by a Member Association, prioritising their home championships where possible.

Entry requirements for State and Territory championships vary across the country. We encourage you to find out more information about each event at the respective Member Association website.

How do I register my interest to volunteer at State and Territory Championships?

To register your interest to volunteer at State and Territory championships, please make contact with the host Member Association of the event you are interested in.

To contact one of Athletics Australia’s Member Associations, please visit athletics.com.au by clicking here.

2018 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

What is the 2018 Australian Junior Athletics Championships?

The 2018 Australian Athletics Championships will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre with the support of the Office for Sport, Destination NSW and Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

Competition will span five days and feature events for athletes aged U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 and U20.

When will the 2018 Australian Junior Athletics Championships be held?

The 2018 Australian Junior Athletics Championships will be held from 14-18 March 2018.

Where will the 2018 Australian Junior Athletics Championships be held?

The 2018 Australian Athletics Championships will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre in Sydney (NSW).

When will the draft timetable of events for the 2018 Australian Junior Athletics Championships be released?

Athletics Australia will publish a draft timetable for the 2018 Australian Junior Athletics Championships in October 2017.

How do I qualify to compete at the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships?

There are two ways to qualify for the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships. They are as follows:

1.       Entry via Achieving Entry Standard

a.       Any athlete who achieves the entry standard(s) as set out in the Athletics Australia Entry Standards Document within the qualifying period is automatically qualified for the Championship.

b.       An athlete must achieve the standard with the correct implement weight or hurdle height.

c.        Performances can be achieved at a wide range of events, including those organised by State Associations, athletics clubs and school sport competitions. We will also allow for the U14 age group performances from designated Little Athletics competitions (details in Appendix 2) or primary school sport competitions at regional or State championships level. 

d.       A Member Association must select the competitions at which an entry standard may be achieved. A list of recognised competitions should be available on each Member Association website.

e.       Hand times, with appropriate correction (details included with entry standards,) are accepted. The wind reading may be up to 4 m/s.

f.        Beam (or gate) times are considered hand times.

2.       Entry via Place at State Championships

a.       Any athlete that places in the first three at their home State and Territory Championships is automatically qualified for the Australian Athletics Championships (for U14-U20 athletes, this can also be achieved at State and Territory All Schools Championships held in 2016).

b.       Any athlete that places in the first two places in the Athletics North Queensland Championships is also automatically qualified for the Australian Athletics Championships.

c.        In the application of this rule, it will apply to the first three athletes from the home State.

d.       For the All Schools Championships the home State will be defined by the school attended.

e.       Where the athlete is a member of more than one State or Territory, the home State and Territory will be defined by the first claim registration status of the athlete.

f.        In the case of the State and Territory All Schools Championships (held pre-Christmas) athletes will automatically qualify up; that is to say the first three in the 2016 State All Schools U15 100m would be qualified for the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships U16 100m. For athletes in events where the implement weight or hurdle height changes post 1 January, the “Entry by Place” rule still applies.

Further to the above, athletes must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1.       Athletes must be registered members of a Member Association of Athletics Australia or be eligible under IAAF rules to represent a member country of the IAAF before entry into the event.

2.       The Member Associations are the team selectors, and may, at their discretion, impose additional criteria to support local strategies.

2018 SUMMER OF ATHLETICS GRAND PRIX

What is the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix?

The Summer of Athletics Grand Prix is a high-level competition opportunity for Australia and the world’s best athletes to compete in the days ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

The majority of traditional track and field events will be offered for both able-bodied and para-athletes across the two scheduled events for Brisbane (Qld) with more information to follow shortly.

When will the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix be held?

The Summer of Athletics Grand Prix will be held on 22 March and 24 March 2018.

Where will the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix be held?

The Summer of Athletics Grand Prix will be held in Brisbane (Qld).

Which events will feature at the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix?

The events that will feature at the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix are to be determined and will be released as soon as possible.

What are the qualifying standards for the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix?

There are no qualifying standards for this meet. Athletes who nominate for consideration will be extended the invitation to compete based on their most recent performances of the season.

How do I nominate to compete at the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix?

Nominations to compete at the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix will be taken through the Athletics Australia online entry portal at athletics.com.au.

Open and closing dates for nominations are to be determined and will be advised in September 2017.