Athletics North Queensland is pleased to announce that the North Queensland Combined-Event Championships will be moved back to the May/June period in run conjunction with Townsville Festival of Athletics.
This discussion has come from a recent ANQ Board review where Athletics North Queensland wishes aims to:
1) Attract more athletes have a go and participate in Combined Events
2) Support athlete’s pathways to reduce clashes in Qualifications of National Teams for individual events – seen more regularly during NQ Championships
3) Support our National and International athletes wishing to compete and qualifier for higher-level events
The North Queensland Combined Events Championships will include the traditional Heptathlon and Decathlon seen regularly throughout the world, but will also include the Octathlon for males, a Pentathlon for athletes 10 years and above and Throws Pentathlon for ages 14 years and over.
These combined events will complement the additional events already offered at Festival of Athletics, including the Community Team Challenge and the individual events – a all-inclusive event for all ages and abilities.
Dayne O’Hara – General Manager of Athletics North Queensland welcomes the decision “ Athletics North Queensland has had a strong history of supporting the growth of Combined-Events in Australia and is pleased to be able to able to provide opportunities that assist athletes to excel in their sports career” “ The change in scheduling and additional events compliments the best practice for long term development of our athletes”
The Festival of Athletics has been developed to be the largest and premier community athletics event in Australia. The connection of the North Queensland Combined-Event Championships allows for greater community participation from across Australia, a main objective of the Festival.
While the Combined Events Championships has been moved to Festival of Athletics, the Heptathlon and Decathlon events will still be held at the NQ Championships each year.
The Multi-Event Championships will comprise of a Decathlon (100/LJ/SP/HJ/400m/110mH/DT/PV/JT/1500m) and Octathlon (100/LJ/SP/200m/100mH/HJ/JT/1000m) for men, Heptathlon (100mH/HJ/SP/200m/LJ/JT/800m) for women and Pentathlon (Sprint Hurldes/LJ/SP/HJ/800or1000) for the U14/U12. Competitors will participate in several track and field events, earning points for their performance in each one, which adds to the total points scored. Multi’s are perfect for both new and experienced athletes who like competing across a range of events, while enjoying the social comradery that comes from competing across the wide selection of events.
The 2023 Festival of Athletics will be held on between 9 June – 11th June 202 at the Townsville Sports Precinct. A draft program and nominations portal is available now.