For the second time, more than 3500 track and field athletes of all ages will compete in the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships, with the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre set to host the Junior and Open Championships for able-bodied and para-athletes from 1st April to 7 April 2019. 

Set to span an impressive eight days, the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships will be the largest annual athletics event in Australia and Oceania- Pacific region and will bring together participants from all ages in the pursuit of personal bests and national championship medals. 

In addition to the track and field action a number of Coaching and Officiating Seminars, Community and Corporate events will be held as part of the Championships.

Date: Monday 1 April - Sunday 7 April 2019
Location: Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, NSW

Download the Timetable (as at 27 March), Start Lists and the Technical Rules here.

Download the Team WA Information Pack as at 26 March 2019.

Please ensure you have read ALL the information below prior to entering.

Please note there is no team travel or accommodation for the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships. Athletes are responsible for making their own travel arrangements.

Athletics WA will be conducting an Information Session for Team WA athletes on the 7th of March 2019 prior to Strive Program D. Further information regarding this session will be communicated to athletes following close of entries. This will be a great opportunity for athletes and parents to familiarise themselves with the Team Management and ask any questions.

A Team Handbook will be distributed during the Information Session and will be available electronically following the Information Session.

Athletics WA has appointed three key personnel to manage the WA State Team, in addition to Relay Coaches:

Team Manager - Shane Ellis (shane@waathletics.org.au)
Assistant Team Manager (Seniors) - Suzi Graves
Assistant Team Manager (Juniors) - Maria Taylor

Team Managers will be available for the full duration of the Championships.

The following entry guidelines are applicable to all WA athletes nominating for the Western Australian State Team to compete at the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

To qualify for the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships:

• Any athlete that placed in the first three at the 2018 WA State All Schools Championships will automatically qualify (regardless of age group changes)
• Any athlete that places in the first three at the WA State Championships (to be held 15 – 17 February 2019) will automatically qualify
• Any athlete that achieves the entry standard as set out by Athletics Australia’s Entry Standards within the qualifying period will automatically qualify. 
  • An athlete must achieve the standard with the correct implement weight or hurdle height
  • Performances can be achieved at all Strive events and approved events held by State member associations.
  • The maximum wind reading for performances to be valid is 2m/s (Open & U23) and 4m/s (U14-U20)
  • Athletes 12 or 13 years of age are not permitted to enter the steeplechase

AGE QUALIFICATIONS

Under 14 - must be born in 2006 or 2007

Under 15 - must be born in 2005 or later

Under 16 - must be born in 2004 or later

Under 17 - must be born in 2003 or later

Under 18 - must be born in 2002 or later

Under 20 - must be born in 2000 or later

Under 23 - must be born in 1997, 1998 and 1999 only

Para-athlete age groups will be U16 and U20

Please note: Athletes MUST turn 12 in the year of competition in order to compete in these Championships.

Entries will be facilitate through the Athletics WA website and will open shortly and close at 9:00pm on Sunday 3 March 2019.

The Athlete Levy for all members of the WA State Team is $95.00, which includes team management and administration, access to the physiotherapy and massage services during the Championships and relay team management. 

The Athletics Australia entry fee for the Championships is $50.00, plus $30.00 per event. Athletics WA will submit all entries and payments to Athletics Australia.

Athletes have the option to order/purchase a AAC 2019 special edition Team WA t-shirt when entering.

CLICK HERE to enter now

Entries will close at 9:00pm on Sunday 3 March 2019.

Athletes must organise and pay for their own travel and accommodation to the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney.

Book your travel through Wotif.com/Sport and they'll donate a portion back to Athletics WA for our athlete and officials development programs through the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF). 

This is a great initiative by Wotif and the ASF to support our local athletics community. Whether you're booking travel for the Australian Athletics Championships or just for a holiday, make sure you book through Wotif.com/sport and enter our code to support athletics in WA with your next trip.

HOW TO BOOK:

1. Visit https://wotif.com/sport
2. Scroll down to Start Planning your Trip and search your travel options
3. Once you have selected your travel or accommodation, the booking page will ask for your CLUB CODE. Enter ASF026847

• Athletics WA Singlet (available in Men’s, Women’s and Children’s sizes) or Athletics WA Crop Top (available in Women’s and Children’s sizes), and
• Athletics WA Running Shorts (available in Men’s and Children’s sizes) or Running Nicks/Bike Shorts (available in Men’s and Children’s sizes).   

Please order uniforms ASAP through the Uniform Shop to avoid disappointment. Please note orders are managed by ID Athletic - please see the Shop for more information.

Athletics WA will nominate teams for all relay events at the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships. The Athletics WA policy is to select the fastest combination of athletes to field our most competitive teams.

Athletics WA Relay Squads will consist of up to eight athletes per relay discipline. The first six available athletes in the corresponding 100m and 400m finals at the 2019 WA State Championships will be automatically selected into the State Relay Squads. An additional two athletes may be added to the squad at the Team Managers discretion, based on results throughout the 2018/19 season. These selections are at the absolute discretion of the Team Managers.

Squad training sessions will be organised prior the Australian Athletics Championships and competition opportunities will be available during the Strive Track and Field Competitions prior to the Australian Championships. Athletes will be notified of selection and training details once entries close.

Please nominate your availability for relay selection when completing the online registration. 

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) will have a presence and will conduct drug testing at the Australian Championships. Therefore, we encourage all athletes, parents and coaches attending these Championships to undertake some form of personal education around anti-doping and the testing process. Please be aware of the process of Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) and the difference between junior and open level athletes and retrospective TUEs.

The ASADA website contains information regarding testing, testing processes, education, athlete rights and responsibilities https://www.asada.gov.au/ to complete the online Level 1 and Level 2 courses (if you haven’t already done so).

This video on the drug testing process also provides some useful information for athletes and parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p849msht_A

You are only required to attend the Australian Championships on your competition days. However, we encourage you to attend the other sessions to support your team mates and watch all athletes strive for team selections. If you need a letter for your school, university, or employer to confirm your selection and request time off, please email shane@waathletics.org.au.