Coles offers "Dash for Cash" prizes to record-breaking athletes

Australia’s top track and field athletes will have extra motivation to win gold at the Australian Track and Field Championships this week with Coles offering “Dash for Cash” prizes to record-breaking athletes and community sports clubs. 

The inaugural Coles Australian Record Challenge will see Coles donate $2,000 for every Australian record broken in an Open age final on the Olympic and Paralympic program at the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships, with a $1,000 Coles gift card given to the record-breaking athlete and a further $1,000 to a community Little Athletics Centre of their choice . 

With nearly 20 records already broken by able bodied and Para athletes this summer, the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships could become a cash bonanza for Aussie athletes and Little Athletics Centres.

Among the athletes up for the Coles Australian Record Challenge is recently crowned national record holder Linden Hall who two weeks ago became the first Australian woman to run under four minutes in the 1500m.  

In favourable conditions, Hall could lower the 1500m mark again in Sydney and has nominated Sunbury Little Athletics to receive $1,000 should she break her own national record on Saturday. 

“I’m super excited for the Coles Australian Record Challenge this week and can’t wait to race again after breaking the Australian record just a few weeks ago,” she said.

“My main goal at Nationals is to secure a spot on the Australian athletics team to Tokyo but it’s great to know that if I do well there’s an extra bonus for me and a local Little Athletics centre.   Every little bit helps athletes like myself and having competed in junior sport, I know how important grassroots support like this is from Coles.”

Coles General Manager Corporate Affairs Sally Fielke said she hopes the Coles Australian Record Challenge will help elite and budding athletes alike to chase their dreams.  

“Coles is thrilled to present the first-ever Australian Record Challenge at the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships,” she said.

“We wanted to acknowledge the role that Little Athletics centres play in developing Australian record holders and do something special for athletes at this year’s National Championships after the cancellation of the 2020 event and all the hurdles associated with COVID-19.“

“We hope the Coles Australian Record Challenge will give both Aussie athletes and community Little Athletics centres a boost and can’t wait to see some national records broken this week.”

The Australian Track and Field Championships is currently being held until Monday 19 April at Sydney Olympic Park with the Open event finals taking place from Thursday 15 April.

Coles is the major partner of Little Athletics Australia and community partner of Athletics Australia.  In addition to the Coles Australian Record Challenge, Coles has donated over 3.5 million bananas and provided more than $1.6 million in grants for sports equipment to Little Athletics centres across Australia.

By Coles 
Posted: 14/3/2021

Terms and conditions:
Athletics Australia is the promoter of the competition and is the final arbitrator to determine the prize winners for the Coles Australian Record Challenge.  One $1,000 Coles gift card will be offered in each open individual event final on the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic program, held at the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships (“the Championships”). In the event of multiple athletes breaking a national record in one single event, the award will be given to the athlete that finished in first place (i.e. the national champion). No prizes will be offered in heats, qualifying rounds, relay or junior events or national events held outside of the Championships.   In the case of a tied-national record (e.g. field event), the $1,000 gift card will be given to the highest ranked athlete at the end of the event (i.e. the national champion).   Athletes can only nominate one Little Athletics Centre of their choice to receive a $1,000 gift card. The nominated Little Athletics Centre must be an affiliated, financial member of a Little Athletics Australia state body in the 2020-21 season.  Only Australian athletes are eligible for the Coles Australian Record Challenge.