NSW Juniors Championships Frequently Asked Questions

1. Check the website to confirm the start time of your event(s). The timetable has been updated since the draft.
2. Parents and families can pre purchase their entry/gate tickets to secure the best price.
3. Confirm your phone number linked to your membership is correct.

• To do so, login to your account and see membership details. - https://www.nswathletics.org.au/account/

4. Read the Athlete Information Sheet available here.
5. Read the Rules of Competition available here.

• Collect your accreditation from the front gate of the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre. This will include your bib number which must be worn on the front of the athlete’s top. 
• If you haven’t already, check-in for your events that day via the text message you should receive
  • Once you have checked in, you need to arrive at your event site (or start area) no later than 10 minutes prior(track) and 20 minutes prior (field), or 45 minutes for Pole Vault. 

All athletes are required to check in for their event! This includes athletes participating in Track and Field events.

Check in will be via an online portal. Athletes will be sent a link to the mobile phone number on their membership profile on the day prior to the first day of competition for that event.

Athletes are required to check-in no later than 60 minutes prior to the advertised start time of their event. Check-in is only required for the first round of each individual event (not any subsequent rounds – e.g. Semi Final or a Final).

The portal will be available for check in from 5:00pm on the day prior to the first round of each event and athletes are encouraged to check in at their earliest convenience.

Any competitors who have difficulty with the check in or do not receive the text message, please either report to the Technical Information Centre (TIC) which will be located at Competition Management as soon as possible to assure your participation in the competition.

Once checked in, track athletes must report to the start area of the event at least 10 minutes before the scheduled starting time and field to report to the field site at least 20 minutes before so warm ups can be completed. 

If you did not receive a check in text, please head to Technical Information Centre (TIC) / Competition Management no later than 60 minutes before your event time and our friendly staff will check you in manually.

Some of the key differences include;

• No call room- athletes report directly to the event site (10 minutes track, 20 minutes field)
• Athlete Check in- Athletes need to check in for each event at least 60 minutes prior to their event. This is done via text message sent the day before. As a result, athletes will not be aware of the heat they are running until 45 mins prior to the event.
• No Clash Manager. Athletes manage their own clashes and liase with technical officials to ensure they do not miss events
• Protests and Appeals. This process differs from LANSW ROC and athletes should familiarise themselves with this process in the rules of competition here. This process is managed by the athlete or someone acting on their behalf. The club may manage this for an athlete but it is not mandatory.

The Technical Information Centre is located on the concourse directly across from the … concession between bays 11 & 12.

The TIC will be managed by Technical Officials and can assist with any nature of question regarding the competition, including but not limited to;

Check in Questions (including if an athlete did not receive their check in link)

• Assistance in locating field event sites
• Any questions on the rules of competition
• Record paperwork
• To scratch from an event
• To enquire about protests or appeals
•  Any other questions regarding the competition

No Call room is offered to provide a more relaxed and less officious experience for athletes.

Once checked in, track athletes must report to the start area of the event at least 10 minutes before the scheduled starting time and field to report to the field site at least 20 minutes before so warm ups can be completed. Please note: parents, coaches and spectators are not allowed to access the Field of Play. 

Yes, you need to wear the uniform of the club that you are representing.

If you have competed in a Coles Zone or Region Championships, no you cannot, you must compete for the club you represented in these competitions

If you did not compete in these competitions, you may providing you a member of another club under the multi-club policy. Please contact us here if this applies to you.

You can review the multi club policy here.

Athletes will be issued a Championship specific competition bib which will be collected at the front gate with their accreditation.

Centre issued bibs will not be required for this competition. 

You are not required to wear your age patch, but you are more than welcome to if you wish

Draft timetables are prepared with historical data to provide an indication of the time events will take place.

 Once we receive the entries, we modify the timetable based on actual entries so we can accurately provide detail on the time you will compete. We understand athletes need to prepare for competition, including a structured warm up and that accurate start times are important to optimal performance.

 It is essential that athletes check the final timetable to confirm the time they are competing.

Usually, events change times by minutes to up to an hour. Sometimes more drastic changes are required but these are generally rare.

Generally, no. The timetable is carefully constructed based on several different factors. Common doubles are accounted for, but it is not possible to construct the timetable to account for all personal preferences.

We do check where there are multiple athletes competing in two events at the same time and can move one of these in the final timetable process.

No clash managers will operate at the NSW Juniors. Athletes are responsible in navigating their event schedule, but will be assisted by the event officials.

If you are in two events follow this simple process

• Go to the field event site first and check in for your event. When you see the officials, inform them that you are in a clashing track event.
• Keep track of the time and inform the officials if you need to leave. The officials will also help you manage this.
• Once your track event is over, please report back to the field event site immediately and inform the officials you have returned.

Note- while all endeavours will be made to facilitate this process, it is the athlete’s responsibility to manage the clash. Please note while certain leniencies can be provided to athletes (such as throwing out of order) once the round has been completed it is completed, and the athlete will be deemed to have passed that attempt.

The Warm Up Track is available for the duration of the competition. There are limited events taking place on the Warm Up Track, so it will be primarily used as a Warm Up Venue.

No warm ups is permitted on the main competition arena, apart from the allocated time prior to a field event.

Yes, all spectators (non-competing athletes) will need a valid ticket to enter the venue if they are 10 or older.

Tickets are cheaper if purchased online prior to the 12th March.

If you are attending the Juniors, we encourage you to stay and watch.

You can purchase an upgrade that will include the Sydney Track Classic ticket for a discounted price when purchasing your Juniors spectator ticket.

Athletes who are participating in the NSW Juniors will gain access to the Sydney Track Classic via use of their accreditation. Juniors' athletes do not need to purchase a ticket.

No. Athletes will gain access to all 4 days of the NSW Juniors and the Sydney Track Classic using their Juniors Athlete Accreditation.

On the events page here.

Please note that the rules of the competition are based on this document and the rules of World Athletics. The Rules of the ROC will not be followed at this competition.

Starting blocks must be used for all events up to and including 400m, except in the 13’s (Under 14) age group who may use blocks but are under no obligation to do so.

Block usage for para-athletes will be as per the relevant WPA rule for the athletes’ classification.

An athlete who wishes not to use blocks (in Para and 13 (Under 14) age group), may still wear spikes.

Only blocks provided by the venue may be used. 

Implements must be weighed and checked by Technical Manager at the Technical Room no later than 90 minutes before the scheduled starting time of your particular event.

The Technical Room will be located in the shed at the 100m start line.

Things to note:

• A maximum of two implements are allowed.
• You must collect your implement/s from the Technical Room after the event.
• You must provide your own vaulting poles. Athletics NSW will not provide vaulting poles.

Seed performances at Juniors are based on the best performance that an athlete achieves from the 1st of October 2024. They are not restricted to the Region Championships.

Seed performances will be submitted through the confirmation process and will be checked against ranking lists.

Timed finals will be seeded with the slowest heat first. Races will be seeded based on the performances since 1^st October 2024.

Events that have both a Participation and Competition Pathway

 -          There are two parallel pathways for all 13’s (U14) – 15’s (U16) walks athletes as well as for 14’s (U15) and 15’s (U16) Male 100m Hurdlers as follows:

-          All of these events will be run at the NSW Junior Championships and are all included in the draft program.

-          Any athlete who achieves a qualification progression in the participation pathway events (left hand column) will be eligible to contest those events.  

-          Any member may enter the age appropriate competition pathway event (right hand column)

-          However, an athlete is not eligible to contest both walks’ events or both hurdles events for their age group. 

-          Should an athlete wish to contest for example the 3000m walk and has also progressed in the 1500m walk, they would simply choose not to take up their progression spot in the 1500m and direct enter the 3000m instead.  This would then allow the spot to be offered to another athlete in the 1500m via the roll-down system.  

-          Athletes wishing to qualify for Australian Juniors, by finishing in the top 3 at state, 'must' contest the competition pathway event (i.e. 3,000m walk, 84cm hurdles).

-          Athletes who have already locked in a performance-based qualifier for their event at nationals, can make a choice as to which event they contest at the state championships.

-          For the 13's (U14) who will also have the opportunity to be selected in the ALAC team, we will use all walks performances to assist in selection.  An athlete does not need to opt to do the 1500m walk at state (which is what is going to be offered at ALAC) - all performances will be considered.

Not until 45 minutes prior to the event commencing. 

Athletes are required to check in for their events at least 60 minutes prior to their event. This process allows us to remove athletes that are not participating, and only add 'confirmed' athletes into the lane draws. This allows a more fair and equitable allocation of heats to ensure that all athletes are provided the best opportunity to progress to the Final.

Not until 45 minutes prior to the event commencing. 

Athletes are required to check in for their events at least 60 minutes prior to their event. This process allows us to remove athletes that are not participating, and only add 'confirmed' athletes into the lane draws. This allows a more fair and equitable allocation of heats to ensure that all athletes are provided the best opportunity to progress to the Final.