State Youth Championships FAQ's

The NSW Youth Championships is the State Championships for athletes aged Under 8- Under 12.

Taking place at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre, it will take place concurrently with the NSW Open Championships, allowing our future generations to share the track with the state (and country’s best athletes).

Yes, to enter the State Championships, you will need to be registered with an Athletics NSW affiliated club.

For a list of clubs, please click here

Yes, you can.

However, while you were able to enter the Regional Championships as a non-member, you are unable to progress to the state unless you become a member.

If you qualify, you can update your membership after the Regional Championships but before the State Youth Championships. 

The Youth Championships are for athletes born in  2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.

The Championships will be conducted in the following age groups. All ages are calculated at the athletes age at 31^st December 2023.

Able Bodied

Para Athletes

If you are born 2011 or earlier, athletes can enter the NSW Junior Championships in February. There is no qualification for this competition, you just need to enter.

Athletes born 2017 or later will not be eligible for the Youth Championships. Unfortunately there is no state Championships for your age group.

Athletes can qulify via the following methods:

• Finishing 1^st, 2^nd at the Regional Championships
• Finishing 1^st or 2^nd at the NSW Country Championships (athletes registered with Country Clubs only)
• Or by having one of the next best performances through the ANSW rolldown.

To find out more about the regional Championships, please click here.

Please read the entry guidelines here for further information

In eligible events, athletes that finish 1^st and/or 2^nd in their age and gender  will progress to the State Youth Championships.

More information is avaiable in our Entry Regulations here.

Athletics NSW encourages athletes to attend and experience the Regional Championships. While being an opportunity to attend the State Championships, it is also a team based competition where athletes can compete for their club in a intuitively individual sport.

However, we also understand there are legitimate reasons why athletes cannot attend the Regional Championships. We also understand in some events, some regionals will be stronger than others, and we want to ensure that the best athletes can progress to this unique state level event.

The rolldown therefore allows additional athletes (from those that qualify automatically) to qualify for the State Championships via performance.

• In the Under 10, U11 and U12 age groups, athletes can qualify for the roll down based on performance at one of the following events; Regional Championships, Country Championships, Treloar Shield.
• For U9 and U8, athletes can use their performance at the Regional Championships only.

Yes. Athletes in the U10, U11 and U12 age groups will be able to secure a rolldown posoition based on their perfomrances at the Treloar Shield and Country Championships.   

Some events are not offered at the same frequency as others, and not all events are able to be offered at the Regional Championships but will still be offered at the State Youth Championships. This includes the walk, 80m Hurdles and Para events.

Athletes can still attend these events at the State Youth Championships. They just simply need to enter the competition via the link available on the event page. Athletes in these events do not need to qualify, they just need to enter by the closing date.

The NSW Youth Championships (in the Under 12 age group only) is a pathway event for the Australian Athletics Championships to be held in Adelaide in April. Athletes wishing to be selected in the NSW team in the Under 12 age group must;

1. Be registered with Athletics NSW
2. Compete in the NSW Youth Championships

Further information is available here

All athletes must be registered with Athletics NSW, there are no exemptions from this.

Athletes who legitimately cannot compete at the NSW Youth Championships can apply for an exemption.

Please read the selection criteria on the event page here to see if you are eligible to apply. 

Not currently, but Athletics Australia is currently reviewing the event offerings for athletes in this age range.