Move, Play and Explore this Kids’ Athletics Day
Published Mon 01 May 2023
Athletics Australia is calling on children across the country to get involved in what will be Australia’s biggest ever athletics carnival on Kids’ Athletics Day this Sunday, 7th May.
Taking place around the world this week and celebrated throughout the entire month of May, Kids’ Athletics Day is a World Athletics initiative dedicated to the power of athletics and its ability to inspire children and young people to develop their skills, confidence and connect with sports for life.
With the World Health Organisation Physical Activity report recently revealing that 81 per cent of young people globally are considered inactive clocking less than 60 minutes of movement per day, Kids’ Athletics Day aims to play its part in getting the world moving by offering children and young people the opportunity to participate in a fun, positive and safe environments.
The basis of almost all sports with no barriers to participation, athletics encourages people of all ages, abilities, and genders to walk, run, jump, throw or roll and get moving. Every child is born to move, play and explore, no matter where in the world they are or their individual circumstances. In Australia, running and athletics is the most participated sport amongst adults with more than 3.5 million participants across the country, and Athletics Australia hopes this trend can continue with children.
Athletics Australia and its Member Associations will join in on the fun throughout the month with a number of initiatives in each State and Territory, and with a campaign to showcase athletics as a fun way for kids to get active.
This weekend will see activities launch in New South Wales, South Australia and in Tasmania, with other State and Territories joining in the following weeks.
- Tasmania (Friday, 5th May) - Athletics Tasmania and Primary School Sports Tasmania will celebrate Kids' Athletics Day at the Launceston All Weather Track at St Leonards.
- South Australia (Saturday, 6th May) – Lace up your shoes and head to Athletics South Australia’s Flinders Athletics Club Cross Country meet, which has 2km and 4km events for all age groups.
- New South Wales (Sunday, 7th May) – Bright and early on Sunday at Sydney Olympic Park, Athletics NSW welcomes runners and walkers of all abilities to get involved in the Sydney10. While the 10km is the main event, there will be a 5km option and a family 2.5km to get involved in.
- Victoria (Sunday, 7th May) – Athletics Victoria have kicked off their cross country season, and this Sunday, they will host their XCR 2 Road Race at Albert Park. There are 3km events for families to get involved in. Head down to the epicentre of Australia’s running scene and join in the action.
- Queensland (Sunday, 14th May) – Kids are welcome to join in the action at Queensland Athletics’ Cross Country All Schools and Short Course Championships conducted at Victoria Park, Brisbane. Evens run from ages 6+ through to Masters. Register for the event at the link below.
- Northern Territory – Athletics Northern Territory clubs run Kids Athletics programs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in Darwin and on Friday in Katherine.
Other initiatives around Australia will be announced throughout the month.
4 x PUMA prize packs valued at $50 will be on offer for the most enthusiastic kids across the country. Find out more here.
Join the global conversation around Kids’ Athletics Day on social media using the hashtag #KidsAthleticsDay, and for your chance to win prizes in Australia, tag @athleticsaustralia on Instagram and Facebook and use the hashtag #KidsAthleticsAUS.
For those that aren’t able to attend in person, the great news is that kids can still participate in the fun at home thanks to Weet-Bix Active Bands, or at school via the Australian Sports Commission’s Sporting Schools program where Athletics Australia delivers Kids’ Athletics to over 100,000 kids around the country each year.
School kids can get involved in a virtual competition, with the winner claiming bragging rights as well as a visit from a Tokyo Olympian or Paralympian. Schools can submit photos and video content of students participating in Kids’ Athletics Day between May 1 – May 7, with special prizes for the teacher that gets the most kids involved in the fun.
Athletics Australia’s Weet-Bix Active Bands also allows kids to participate at home. A limited-edition program designed by World Athletics will encourage all Active Banders, no matter where they are in Australia, to participate by completing daily activities and logging them in the Weet-Bix Active Bands app.
Two-time Olympian Cedric Dubler said he is excited to see how many children fall in love with athletics and their ability to move throughout the month of May.
“I definitely wouldn’t have found some of the talents that I did or the skills that have now helped a lot in my decathlon. Maybe I would have found some talents in another sport, but I don’t think I would be an Olympian if I didn’t get involved in athletics as a kid.”
Five-time Paralympic medallist Rheed McCracken also encouraged kids across the country to step up to the challenge on Sunday, highlighting the physical and social benefits that athletics has to offer.
“Athletics has given me a multitude of things. It’s given me a voice to be able to hopefully help the next generation and it’s given me opportunities in my personal life to be able to train really hard, but also to travel and do all sorts of things. All because I started as a kid. I’m not sure what I’d be doing without this sport!”
Athletics Australia offers a range of regular athletics programs and initiatives year-round for kids to elite athletes to weekend warriors and masters, including the Sporting Schools program, Weet-Bix Active Bands, Rio Tinto’s Raise The Bar and Athletics in the Outback program for Indigenous youth, classification activities for athletes with a disability, and various competitions and events in every Australian state and territory in partnership with our Member Associations. More information about each program can be found here.
Additional information about Kids’ Athletics Day and how to get involved in your State or Territory, at home or at school, can be found here.
By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 1/5/2022
