Event Information
Dual athletes
Children aged between 12 and 17 have the opportunity to join Athletics as a dual athlete. This means that they can participate in both Little Athletics and Senior Athletics events. At Senior events, all dual athletes compete as U18 unless event information indicates otherwise. This option of good for athletes looking for additional or higher levels of competition and may also be a requirement to participate at certain events.
Masters Athletics
Masters Athletics is for athletes aged 30 and over. In the ACT, ACT Masters hold a weekly meet on Thursday evenings over Summer, as well as a number of Throwing, Running and Walking events. Masters athletes can also register as a dual athlete with a Senior Athletics Club in order to participate at Summer Series/High Noon and other Open aged athletics events.
ACT Championships Events
State Championship events are held in four (4) age categories.
- U9 to U13s
- U14 to U18s
- U20 and Opens
- Masters
Athletes have an opportunity to participate at the Territory’s highest level if they wish. Medals are awarded for 1st,2nd and 3rd placings for each event and State Titles are also up for grabs. For the U9 to U13 and U14 to U18 events, medals are awarded for every age-group i.e. U9, U10, U11, U12 and U13 age groups, while at U20 and Opens there are only two medal categories awarded for each event, and Masters awards in 5-year age brackets i.e. 30-34, 35-39 etc.
Little Athletics ACT events
U6-U8 Teams Challenge
The U6 to U8 Teams Challenge is a new event targeted to our youngest age-cohorts.
Participants are placed into teams of 5 of boys and girls and participate in seven (7) events which incorporate the fundamentals movements of athletics in running, jumping and throwing. Events include Standing Long Jump, Throw for Target and Slalom relays.
The teams accumulate points together and ribbons awarded for first, second and third in each age-group. Combined centre teams are also highly encouraged if centres to do not have enough entries to create a team.
This event is one of the highlights of the Little Athletics ACT calendar and is often referred to as the “Fun Carnival”
Relay Carnival
The Little Athletics ACT Relay Carnival is the first Association event of the season. This takes place in December and currently runs three (3) track events per age cohort in three session times:
· U6 to U8 – 4x50m, 4x100, 4xSlalom
· U9 to U12 – 4x70m, 4x100m, 4x200m (U9 and U10) 4x100m, 4x200, 4xSwedish relay (U11 and U12)
· U13 to U17 – 4x100m, 4x400, 4x Swedish relay (Swedish relay is 100m, 300m, 200m, 400m)
Athletics ACT Events
This season two of our senior clubs, Corroboree and South Canberra Tuggeranong, are conducting social meets during the week for members.
Summer Series and Winter Series
Athletics ACT host regular competitive meets called Summer Series or Winter Series (previously known as High Noon).
These meets host similar athletics events as Little Athletics weekly meets but on a competitive stage, generally at a synthetic track. Athletes registered as Dual Athlete, Open Athlete and Masters Dual athletes are able to participate at these events.
The difference with these events, is that they run to a program timetable and athletes are required to manage their time and events. Athletes are also required to check-in for all of their events upon arrival at the venue. Check-in can close from 30-60 minutes before an event commences. This allows for any changes to events such as race heat seedings to be made in time for athletes and officials to be notified.
It is important to read all event information prior to entering an event, as well as the final event information sent out to entrants to note any changes made to the program or requirements.
U20 & Open Championships
The U20 & Open Championships is the peak Athletics event in the ACT. It includes most events and is held over three days at the AIS. This championship is used as the pathway for ACT senior athletes to reach U20 & Open Nationals, held by Athletics Australia.
Joint Events
U14-18 Championships
The U14-U18 Championships is run by both Athletics ACT and Little Athletics ACT, and like the U20 & Open Championships is the peak athletics event in the ACT for this age group. It is used as a pathway into the National U14-18 Championships, held by Athletics Australia.
Mid-Week PB Meets
The Mid-Week PB meets are a take on Milers Meets which are popular in other states. Athletes are given the chance to run on a synthetic track, sometimes for the very first time, which is flat and fast compared to running on grass ovals and try to run a PB for a particular event.
The PB Meets are a great event for first timers and junior athletes who want to learn more about participating at bigger/structured events. It is recommended that athletes only participate in one or two events to have every chance of running a PB for their races.
North vs South
The North vs South event is a Track and Field team event where athletes participate for either North Canberra and regions or South Canberra and regions depending on which Athletics Centre/Club they are registered with.
All athletes get to wear a specially designed uniform for the day (Blue for North, Yellow for South).
Athletes earn points for every event they take part in which gets added to the team tally and the team with the highest number of points at the end of the day is announced the winner and earns bragging rights for the next year!
RunACT Stromlo 5k
The RunACT – Stromlo 5k is a Road-Running event which takes place on the Stephen Hodge Criterium Cycling Track at Stromlo Forest Park.
There is a Community 5km and an Elite Mens and Womens 5km race.
There are also three (3) Junior Races over 1km, 2km or 3km.
This is the first event of the new year and is part of the ACT Festival of Athletics.
Bill Jacob Shield
The second event of the Festival of Athletics is the Bill Jacob Shield.
This is also a point scoring Track and Field team event similar to North vs South but takes place between the ACT and Riverina regions and soon will include Tasmania.
Bill Jacob was a Riverina athletics institution and there isn’t a child in Wagga that has done athletics over the last 40 years that doesn’t have a connection with Bill. His legacy extends to the ACT where he has a number of relationships within the Paralympic and ACT athletics community. Bill was also a passionate supporter of the ACT Brumbies.
ACT Combined Events Championships
The Combined Events Championship is for athletes who are multi-disciplined. Events include Heptathlon (7 disciplines) for Women and Decathlon (10 disciplines) for Men. There are also Tetrathlon (3 disciplines), Pentathlon (5 disciplines) and Heptathlon (7 disciplines) events for some junior age-groups.
This event also incorporates the Little Athletics ACT U15 Heptathlon for Athletes seeking selection for Australian Little Athletics Championships (ALAC).
ALAC is a National event for U13 and U15 athletes to compete for their State and the U15 event is a multi-disciplined format. Athletes must nominate for selection of the ACT team and the team is decided upon by a selection panel.
