The 2022 Oceania Athletics Championship concluded last Saturday as Australia’s top senior, para, and junior athletes competed against Pacific nations across five days in Mackay. Athletics Victoria was well represented at the Championships, which took a new and exciting format this year. The first Area Championships to be inclusive of all age groups and abilities; in a world-first, for International Athletics Competitions, Para-athletes competed for Oceania medals simultaneously and at the same venue as non-disabled competitors.
The Senior, U20 and U18 Championships took place in their traditional format, with the Area Championships in 2022 an essential steppingstone for athletes wanting to compete at World Championships, both in Eugene (Senior; 15 July – 24 July 2022) and Cali (U20; 1-6 August) later this year.
Through their selection to the Australian team, many of our AV members tasted international competition. They did not waste the occasion taking home 33 Gold, 34 Silver, and 12 Bronze medals, demonstrating the current quality of Victorian athletics.
Athletics Victoria would also like to recognise the efforts of our invitational athletes and those athletes selected to represent Regional Athletics. We collected 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze, just rewards for their hard work.
Special Mention must go to the 14 athletes that set new Oceania Competition Records in their events:
| Name | Event | Oceania Record |
| Frankleen Newah Jarfoi | U18 Men 4x100m | 41. 56 secs |
| Siena Farrell | Women 4x100m | 46.60 secs |
| Mackenzie Mielczarek | U20 Women Javelin | 54.64m |
| Mia Scerri | U20 Women Heptathlon | 5480 points |
| Logan Janetzki | U20 Men 5000m | 14:43.64 |
| Haddi El Shorbagy | U20 Men Javelin | 67.00m |
| Noah Oliver | U20 Men Decathlon | 7082 points |
| Claudia Hollingsworth | Open Women 1500m | 4:12.33 |
| Celeste Mucci | Open Women 100mH | 12.75 (3.3) |
| Sam Mcentee | Open Men 5000m | 13:46.39 |
| Ned Weatherly | Open Men Hammer Throw | 69.09m |
| Rhydian Cowley | Open Men 5000m Race Walk | 19:57.43 |
| Dayna Crees | Para Women Secured Javelin | 15.19m |
| Jesse Wyatt | Para Men Secured Shot Put | 9.07m |
On behalf of the entire athletics community, we wish to congratulate our new record holders, medalists and all those athletes that had the opportunity to represent Australia and Victoria on the international stage.