Australian Athletics (AA), and Little Athletics Australia (LAA), are happy to announce dates and particulars for the inaugural aligned athletics championships in Brisbane in 2026. Reflecting nearer working relationships between the 2 our bodies, the Australian Athletics Junior Championships (AAJC) which kinds a part of the Chemist Warehouse Summer season Sequence will likely be carried out side-by-side with the Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships (ALAC).
As beforehand introduced, each occasions will likely be carried out in Brisbane on the Queensland Sports activities and Athletics Centre (QSAC). Key dates for the championships in 2026 are:
April 12 – 14: Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships; and
April 15 – 20: Australian Athletics Junior Championships – a part of the Chemist Warehouse Summer season Sequence.
Throughout each occasions athletes from round Australia will compete as a part of a celebration of the game and its rising success as we head in the direction of a 2032 residence video games. The championships will showcase the depth and potential of the nation’s subsequent era with 1000’s of school-aged athletes by means of to Beneath-20s participating. For a lot of younger opponents, this celebration of athletics can even mark step one on their path to future international occasions.
“Brisbane provides our juniors and Beneath-20 athletes the prospect to be impressed by a future Olympic and Paralympic metropolis,” Australian Athletics CEO Simon Hollingsworth stated.
“These championships signify the rising expertise in our sport, and we’re thrilled to provide this occasion the separate highlight that it deserves.”
The championships can even function a stepping stone within the lead-up to the 2026 World Athletics Beneath 20 Championships in Eugene, USA, offering an important choice and preparation alternative for Australia’s brightest younger expertise.
Little Athletics Australia CEO Myles Foreman famous the joy for the aligned occasion as a pathway for our future champions, “Greater than seventy former Little Athletics individuals have been on the Australian World Championship crew in Tokyo. ALAC is a incredible teams-based championship that engenders a love for the game and builds a pathway for youths to proceed in athletics, together with throughout to representing Australia.”
The Australian Junior Athletics Championships is supported by the Queensland Authorities, by means of Tourism and Occasions Queensland’s Main Occasions Program and Brisbane Metropolis Council, by means of Brisbane Financial Growth Company.
The draft timetable for each occasions will likely be out there nearer to the Championships, noting that Beneath 14 occasions will likely be held in the direction of the beginning of the Australian Junior Athletics Championships to allow athletes who want to compete in each championships to minimise journey prices.
As a part of the alignment AA and LAA have agreed to quite a few adjustments in 2026 to the 2 occasions. In abstract:
The youngest age group at AAJC will likely be Beneath 14 (athletes born in 2013, or for PV and HT solely, 2014). AAJC won’t embrace an Beneath 13s competitors (athletes born in 2014 or later).
The age teams competing on the ALAC will likely be Beneath 12 – Athletes born in 2014 and Beneath 13 – Athletes born in 2013 (LAA age group definition) and won’t embrace any age teams for athletes born earlier than 2013.
Eligibility for each championships will likely be open to the entire of sport.
ALAC can have elevated crew numbers to offer extra alternatives for nationwide championships for athletes throughout the entire of sport.
Little Athletics athletes who obtain the requisite AA entry requirements will likely be eligible to compete within the AAJC.
ALAC Entries will likely be managed / facilitated by means of LAA Member Associations.
AAJC Entries will likely be managed/facilitated by means of AA State Member Associations.
AA and LAA word that this would be the first aligned championships reflecting better collaboration. Each organisations are dedicated to enterprise a complete evaluation after the aligned championships to hunt suggestions from the athletics group to tell and enhance future championships.
Dates and placement for the 2026 Australian Open Athletics Championships will likely be introduced quickly, with a give attention to optimising the occasion in a Commonwealth Video games yr which options each in a position and Para athletes.
FAQs on Aligned Junior Athletics Championships – 12 months 1 Scope (April 2026)
Date posted 19/09/2025
