The pinnacle event of Australian track and field will make a triumphant return to Adelaide next year, with the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships taking place at SA Athletics Stadium from April 11 - 19.
The Australian Athletics Championships is the largest annual athletics event in Australia and the Oceania region, traditionally attracting more than 3,500 athletes from across Australia and the Pacific.
The 101st edition of the Championships will be the culmination of another impressive domestic season and also act as a key part of the nomination process for the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams travelling to the Paris 2024 Games. It is expected that the Australian Olympic Committee will make the first round of selections for the Olympic team on ground in Adelaide, following the conclusion of the Open age championships.
For the juniors and next generation of talent coming through the ranks, the national championships will be a major hit out as athletes vie for national bragging rights and a chance to catapult themselves onto the world stage as selectors keep a watchful eye on them ahead of the World Athletics Under 20 Championships taking place in Peru in August.
Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley said he was thrilled to be heading back to Adelaide following a successful Australian All Schools Championships in 2022 as well as the 2023 Adelaide Invitational, a World Athletics Continental Tour meet.
"Athletics fans are invited to witness some world class competition as the best of the best athletes from every corner of the country compete for national titles and showcase their skills in front of a passionate crowd," Bromley said.
"Next year's championships come at a very special time as we count down the days until the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will give audiences an opportunity to get up close and personal with our athletes and get to know them as they look to cement their spots on the teams heading to the world's pinnacle events.
"We are excited to be witnessing the highlight of our domestic competition in Adelaide, and I want to thank the SA Government and South Australian Tourism Commission for their collaboration and ongoing support in making this happen. Together, we will make this the best possible event we can for the Australian athletics community as well as South Australia's keen and passionate sports fans," Bromley said.
Competition will begin with a bang as Australia's Open age take to the national stage, with junior age groups interweaved throughout the first few days of the meet. The country's next generation of talent will take inspiration from their elite counterparts in the final five days of competition. The schedule is currently in development, with a draft timetable to be released later this year.
"We promise there will be something for everyone at the Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships. We encourage all participants, family, friends and fans to join the fun on ground from the start of the meet and be inspired by our athletes and our sport," Bromley said.
South Australian Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison MP said it would be a great opportunity for South Australia to host some of the nation's best emerging athletic talent.
"We are lucky enough to get a preview of next year's Olympians and Paralympians. It will be not only a great lead in to Paris 2024, but also a terrific chance for South Australia to put on another significant sporting event," she said.
"With over 3500 athletes, together with their coaches, families and friends, we stand ready to cheer them on, and show them a good time."
The 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships is supported by the SA Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission and will be broadcast live and free on Seven's online platform, 7plus.
