During the COVID-19 restriction period, Athletics Australia has taken the opportunity to review and amend our National Para Athletics Competition structures. The following amendments align with our Para Athletics Strategy and the Paralympic Athlete Pathway and will be implemented from the 2020/21 athletics season:
National Para Athletics Age Groups
The National Para Championship age groups will be altered from U16, U20 and Open to U15, U17, U20 and Open. The U17 and U20 age groups align with our international body, World Para Athletics (WPA), allowing us to compare national performances with international benchmarks and competitors. By aligning our U17 and U20 age groups, it allows us to grow our participation base by incorporating a U15 age group and provides the opportunity for our younger Para Athletes to compete against similar aged athletes.
Implement Weights
Athletics Australia Para Implement Weights have been revised to reflect the amended age groups. The U17, U20 and Open implement weights align with World Para Athletics to ensure a seamless pathway to international representation, while the U13 and U15 implement weights provide the appropriate progression.
Updated implement weights can be found here.
Race Running
A 100m Race Running Championship will be incorporated into the Australian Track & Field Championships for Race Running Classes RR1, RR2, RR3. Athletics Australia has committed to the event as a result of World Para Athletics investing in this classification through inclusion in both the WPA Classification System and WPA Championships.
Athletes with Down Syndrome
Athletics Australia will be incorporating T/F20 – II-2 as a separate class for athletes with a formal diagnosis of Trisomy 21 or Translocation Down Syndrome. This will be a nationally recognised class under the classification of T/F21. By separating from the Intellectual impairment group of T/F20, it provides the opportunity for athletes with the T/F21 classification to compete against an equitable baseline score.
Baseline Scoring System
An updated 2020/21 Baseline Scoring system will be used for all age groups to score multiclass at our National events. This system has been created to lessen the discrepancies in the scores achieved by athletes in Pathway vs Non-Pathway events.
Further information on the scoring system and calculations behind it can be found here.
Further information on all changes can be found on the Athletics Australia website here.
Please direct any questions or queries to competitions@athletics.org.au.
Sincerely,
Michelle James
Manager – Sport Delivery | Athletics Australia