Athletics Australia announce a sizzling summer on Track, Field and Road

With the Olympic and Paralympic Games looming, competition is set to sizzle across the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Summer Season, with the calendar of events released by Athletics Australia today.

Coinciding with the official start to the Australian summer, the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Summer Season is poised to witness a myriad of battles on the track, field and roads, with athletes showcasing their skill, dedication and passion for athletics across all corners of the nation.

Beginning in Melbourne on December 2 with Zatopek:10 and the Chemist Warehouse Australian 10,000m Championships, the evening will also feature the U20 Australian 3000m Championships.

Perth will then host the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships and National Schools Challenge, supported by the Western Australian Tourism Commission.

And as the calendar ticks over to 2024, things step up a notch when a series of one day high-energy, high-performance meets take place ahead of the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships in Adelaide.

Elite athletes will lace up their spikes for the one-day meets that will form part of the World Athletics Continental Tour, featuring the second edition of the Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne, Oceania’s only Gold level meet supported by Visit Victoria, as well as two World Athletics Race Walking Tour meets.

The country’s premier athletes will also put on a show for fans at the Adelaide Invitational, Canberra Track Classic and Sydney Track Classic, with the first athlete announcements to be made in the coming weeks. In conjunction with State Member Associations, Athletics Australia will host these meets to help Australia’s athletes amass crucial world ranking points and provide qualification opportunities to allow them to compete on the world stage.

The pinnacle of the domestic season will come in the form of the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships as the country’s best athletes across 300 events descend upon Adelaide in April, with State and Territory Championships providing opportunities for thousands of athletes to qualify for the prestigious meet.

Supported by the South Australian Tourism Commission, the Australian Athletics Championships will also be a key milestone for the country’s athletes aiming for Paris 2024, as the Championships act as a key part of the nomination process for the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams travelling to Paris.

Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley said the season ahead is shaping up to be the best yet, following the widely acclaimed 2023 domestic season.

“The 2023 domestic season was by far one of our most successful seasons in recent years, with highlights that included the inaugural Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne as well as the 100^th edition of the Australian Athletics Championships, and next year promises to be even better,” Bromley said.

“With another World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Level meet, plus World Athletics Race Walking Tour meets and more, there is something for every athletics enthusiast around the country. We head back to Perth for the first time since the pandemic for the 2023 Australian All Schools Championships and travel to Adelaide for the Chemist Warehouse Adelaide Invitational and the Australian Athletics Championships, which will be instrumental for our athletes aiming for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“In a year where our athletes are looking to peak in time for Paris, your local meet is one not to miss. Block out these dates in your diaries and join us at your local track to cheer on Australia’s best athletes as they leave it all out on the track and field for the fans.”

Chemist Warehouse director Mario Tascone said the pharmacy powerhouse was thrilled to be supporting a domestic season that will be sure to springboard Australia’s athletes to their pinnacle event later in the year.

“Nothing makes us prouder than seeing Australian athletes and participants from the grassroots level through to the elite pursue their endeavours, whether it be aiming for the Olympic and Paralympic Games or earning a start at their local meet,” Tascone said.

“As a retailer that passionately encourages the health and wellbeing of Australian communities, we are proud to be supporting the 2024 Australian Summer of Athletics for the third year running. We look forward to helping Athletics Australia deliver another season of fantastic meets and working with them to grow athletics across the country.”

Dates for the 2023/2024 Chemist Warehouse Summer of Athletics are as follows:

2 December: Zatopek:10 (inc. Chemist Warehouse Australian 10,000m Championships and U20 Australian 3000m Championships), Melbourne

3 December: Australian 50km Championships, Gold Coast

8-10 December: Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships, Perth

11 December: Chemist Warehouse National Schools Challenge, Perth

23 December: Albie Thomas Mile (inc. Australian Mile Championships), Sydney – World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger

27 and 28 January:  Supernova: World Athletics Race Walking Tour – Bronze, Canberra

10 February: Chemist Warehouse Adelaide Invitational – World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger

11 February: 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian 20km Race Walking Championships (inc. Australian Underage – U20 Race Walking Championships) – World Athletics Race Walking Tour Silver, Adelaide

15 February: Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne – World Athletics Continental Tour Gold

2 March: Chemist Warehouse Canberra Track Classic – World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger

23 March: Chemist Warehouse Sydney Track Classic – World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger

24 March: 2024 Australian Mountain Running Championships, Orange

30 March: 2024 Stawell Gift, Stawell

11-19 April: 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships, Adelaide

24-26 April: 2024 UniSport National Athletics Championships, Gold Coast.

*NB: There will not be a designated selection trial for the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships, and instead the Athletics Australia Chair of Selectors confirms that selection will be framed around middle distance events taking place prior to the selection date, with a significant focus on performances at the Zatopek:10 meet. Given the recent change of date and host by World Athletics the Selection Policy is currently being re-drafted and will be communicated to athletes and the wider community in the coming weeks.

 Story courtesy of Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia