Athletics Australia

Athletics Australia
Sport Athletics
Jurisdiction Australia
Abbreviation AA
Founded 1897
(as Australia Amateur Athletic Association)
1989
(as Athletics Australia)
Affiliation IAAF
Regional affiliation OAA
Headquarters Albert Park, Victoria
President Mark Arbib
Chief Exec Darren Gocher
Official website
www.athletics.com.au
Australia

Athletics Australia is the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) recognised by the Australian Sports Commission for the sport of athletics in Australia.[2]

First founded in 1897, the organisation is responsible for administering a sport with over 16,000 registered athletes, coaches and officials.[3]

History

Athletics Australia (AA) was originally the Athletic Union of Australasia, an amateur group founded in 1897. In 1928, New Zealand broke away to form its own national body and the Amateur Athletics Union of Australia (AAU) was the result.

In 1932, an Australian Women's Amateur Athletics Union (AWAAU) was instituted and it remained responsible for women's athletics until 1978. In that year, the separate national unions amalgamated into one governing body which, in 1989, was rebranded as Athletics Australia.[4]

Overview

Affiliated with the IAAF, the organisation governs the sport of athletics throughout Australia, conducting a range of important competitions each year.

AA conducts the Athletics Grand Prix Series and the Australian Championships in Athletics,[5] where athletes compete to gain selection at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.[6] The Australian Athletics Team since 2009 has been known as the Australian Flame. [7]

The association also provides co-ordination, guidance, and support to affiliated member organisations, which govern athletics in their respective states, territories or jurisdictions (e.g. Paralympic athletics).[8]

A number of committees and commissions hold responsibilities in specialist areas such as Race walking, Coaching and Anti-doping.[9]

Organisational Goals

Athletics Australia (AA) is responsible for achieving a number of key strategies, including:[3]

  • Ensuring financial stability
  • Supporting high-performance around Australia
  • The development of athletes, coaches and officials

The organisation has set a goal to finish in the top-ten countries competing in athletics at the 2012 London Olympics, winning five medals and achieving fourteen top-eight placings.[10]

Hall of Fame

In 2000 Athletics Australia established its Hall of Fame to recognise outstanding achievement amongst Australia's greatest athletes. Induction is at the discretion of Athletics Australia's Special Awards Committee.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Athletics Australia - Australia at the 2000 Games Archived July 18, 2012, at Archive.is
  2. ↑ Cool Running Australia
  3. 1 2 - Athletics Australia - Annual Report 2006/07 Archived December 30, 2012, at Archive.is
  4. ↑ Athletics Australia - History Archived October 5, 2009, at the Portuguese Web Archive
  5. ↑ Athletics Australia - Season Guide 2007/08 Archived February 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Athletics Australia - General Selection Criteria Archived April 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Athletics Australia (2010). Annual report 2009-2010 (PDF). Melbourne: Athletics Australia. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  8. ↑ Athletics Australia - Affiliated Organisations Archived February 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ Athletics Australia - Commissions and Committees Archived October 5, 2009, at the Portuguese Web Archive
  10. ↑ Athletics Australia - Achieving High Performance 2005-2009 Archived October 6, 2009, at the Portuguese Web Archive
  11. ↑ "Athletics Australia Hall of Fame". athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "This year's Hall of Fame inductee is @BenitaWillis". Athletiucs Australia Twitter. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
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