2021 Australian Cross Country Championships cancelled

Athletics Australia and Coles Little Athletics Australia have today reached the decision to cancel the 2021 Australian Cross Country Championships.

Originally scheduled to take place in Adelaide in August, the Championships were postponed in July due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, but with many States unable to hold their own selection events and no end in sight for travel restrictions to ease, a decision has been made to cancel the 2021 edition of the Championships.

Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley said: “The 2021 Australian Cross Country Championships was an event that we were particularly looking forward to as it would have been the first of many held by AA and LAA, however COVID numbers are still rising across the country with restrictions firmly in place, meaning a national championships is no longer viable.”

“We acknowledge that athletes, coaches and officials of all ages were looking forward to this event, but until the Australian public gets COVID-19 numbers under control and there is a significant increase in vaccination rates, it won’t be possible for this event to take place.”

Coles Little Athletics Australia General Manager Operations Andrew Johnston said: “The decision to cancel this event did not come lightly, and together with AA, we looked at every possible option to still hold the Championships.”

“Instead we will focus our efforts on the Summer season ahead, with a view of holding the joint Australian Cross Country Championships next year in 2022.

“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, and AA and LAA will now work with each of our Member Associations to ensure competition opportunities are readily available at a safer time.”

Details around the 2021/2022 Australian Summer of Athletics will be announced next month.

Posted: 1/9/2021