The National Athletics Championships loom large in April. Will WA’s new stadium stand up to the challenge? Alex Malcolm explains.

The opinions raged. Madness, they said. The papers, talkback lines, and water cooler conversations were as condescending as they have ever been.

How could the newly-built WA Athletics Stadium, a $38 million facility, have been built with such scant regard for Perth sports fans already impatient after John Langoulant’s scathing report on the selfishness of the major sporting codes refusal to work together towards a multi-purpose stadium?

This was another kick in the guts. The Stadium’s feature grandstand, named after one of WA’s greatest ever Olympian’s, Shirley Strickland, was looking straight into the setting sun! How could they be so stupid?

But for Western Australian athletes and all those associated, in a sport where conditions dictate performance like no other, there was no frustration, instead joyful relief.

In 1960, Perry Lakes Stadium was built for 1962 Empire Games, catering for spectators only.

“It was designed with the stand facing east to prevent the Queen and her dignitaries looking into the sun during the Opening Ceremony of the Empire Games. This resulted in the athletes having to run into a headwind for the next forty years.” WA Athletics CEO Wayne Loxley pointed out with a tinge of irony.

So had they gone 180 degrees to sacrifice fans for athletes? Far from it.

For anyone who has seen action at the brand new stadium will know, when the sun sets behind Reabold Hill, which becomes outlined by a luminous orange glow, and the artificial lights take full effect, there are few more breath-taking views in Perth than in one of 2000 seats in the Shirley Strickland grandstand.

The only thing more breath-taking has been the athletes’ performances at the state-of-the-art facility.

“This facility has been planned and developed as a boutique style athletics facility to maximize athletic performance.  The research into wind readings has resulted in the track orientation providing a near perfect tailwind that when competition is conducted at night under lights, will produce world class performances.” Loxley explained.

The stadium has already seen some phenomenal performances. Just before Christmas, Australian representative Jody Henry produced a Commonwealth B-Qualifier of 52.93 to become the only women in Australia took have broken 53 seconds for the season to that point. First start after Christmas, World Championship 4x400m relay bronze medallist Ben Offereins covered 400m in 45.53, to post a Commonwealth A-Qualifier and show the nation and the world what he’s capable of even this early in the season. The cagey 37-year-old Australian record holder Patrick Johnson and young Western Australian sprinter Lucas Mata produced, at the time, the four fastest 100m runs by Australians this season between them in seven days in January. Australia’s Olympic and World Champion pole vaulter Steve Hooker jumping off eight steps cleared 5.61m, a mark he has never reached off so few strides.

“I think it is such a great place to train.” the 24-year-old, Henry said.

“The facilities are world class and the people running it both from Venues West and the AWA officials do a fantastic job to keep the place looking and feeling like a professional environment.”

Her comments are echoed throughout the athletes who have competed at the track.

“The vast majority of people involved in athletics have been extremely positive in their feedback about the new facility. The reality of any new structure of this type is that there are going to be some teething problems but the Venues West management has been diligent in their efforts to create a positive environment for all users.” Loxley surmised.

“As mentioned, the performances have been outstanding to date and our membership has increased from 600 last season to over 1000 members already this season. The facility provides the sport with the opportunity of promoting itself to the next generation of members.”

But the major benefit of the new stadium is that it has provided an opportunity for Perth host the Australian National Championships for the first time in 22 years.

World Champions such as Hooker, 400m hurdler Jana Pittman-Rawlinson, and discus star Dani Samuels will be in action in Perth from April 16-18.

“For the non athletics fan, track and field provides so much action at the same time with several events operating simultaneously. This combined with the boutique style design will create an electric atmosphere. With the Championships also acting as Selection Trials for the Commonwealth Games, Australia’s best athletes will be in action.” Loxley said

“There is so much depth among a number of events but the two premier sessions on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon closing session will be high class and WA sporting fans usually respond to sporting events of this quality and we are expecting good attendances.”

Given the popularity of the stadium amongst the athletes, few will be surprised if Australian Records disappear en masse.

There are those who still doubt the capacity of the Mt Claremont facility to cope with expected crowds of up to 10,000 people given the lack of parking facilities but it seems Perth’s pundits have short memories. The same precinct hosted the 1998 World Swimming Championships, an event that held a similar capacity, without drama.

Loxley is unperturbed by the doubters.

“The issue of parking and other amenities is being resolved with the Venues West management working closely with local Councils and UWA to improve these services. I believe the sporting precinct that includes the WA Athletics Stadium will develop into one the best of its type in the world in time.”

As mad as it seemed to build a stadium in such an odd spot, you’d be even more incensed if you missed the chance to view world class athletics in what is quite clearly a world class venue.

Early tickets for the Australian National Championships will go on sale for WA Athletics members and Affiliates from 12.00 noon Wednesday February 10 to 5.00pm Sunday February 14 through Ticketmaster. Tickets will be available to the general public after that.