Perth to welcome Australia’s top school-aged track and field talent

The nation’s best school-aged track and field athletes will head west this December, with the announcement today that Perth will host the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships.

Showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of young athletes from across the country, the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships will be held at the WA Athletics Stadium from December 8-10, with the one-day National Schools Challenge to be held the following day on December 11.

The Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships is the pinnacle event for school-aged athletes (ages 12-17 for able-bodied students, and up to 19 years for para events). The Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships provides a platform for students to compete against their peers in team-based competition, chase personal bests, and achieve national recognition in the case of medallists.

Some of Australia’s top talent have earned their stripes at the Championships, including Olympic gold medallists, Catherine Freeman and Steve Hooker, as well as Perth locals and Commonwealth Games champions, Kurtis Marschall and Nina Kennedy.

Athletics Australia CEO, Peter Bromley said he was thrilled to bring a national event back to Perth for the first time since 2019, to shine a bright light on Australia’s future track and field talent.

“Last year at the Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships in Adelaide, we saw a number of national records broken and athletes catapult themselves into the limelight with memorable performances. We know there is still more to come from this next generation,” Bromley said.

“We’re delighted to be coming back to Perth for the first time since 2019 – and this will be the first national event in the newly renovated stadium, with state-of-the-art infrastructure, allowing athletes to compete at their very best.

“I’d like to thank the Western Australian Government for their collaboration on this important event. We look forward to delivering a stellar celebration of our sport for school participants, the Australian athletics community and Perth locals, and introduce some of the stars of tomorrow.”

WA Minister for Tourism, the Hon. Rita Saffioti MLA said that the Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships was a great fit for the City of Perth and looks forward to welcoming the Australian athletics community to the west.

“I am very excited to see Western Australia’s best school-aged athletes compete for glory on the national stage, right here in Perth.

“This event will provide a great opportunity to showcase WA to the rest of the country, including our world-class facilities and the great athletics programs we have in our schools.”

The Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships is part of Athletics Australia's junior participation and pathways strategy.

More information about the 2023 edition of the Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships, including qualification criteria, will be made available later this year.

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 6/7/2023