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The Australian Championships in Athletics or Australian Open Track and Field Championships are held annually to determine Australia's champion athletes in a range of Track and Field events. The championships are the primary qualification trial for athletes wishing to compete at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games or World Championships[1]. The event is conducted by Athletics Australia[2].
[edit] History
The championships were first held in 1890 under the name Inter Colonial Meet. The competition was staged at Moore Park in Sydney on May 31, 1890. Teams from the Australasian colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and New Zealand competed in the first meeting[3].
A New Zealand team continued to compete in this event until the 1927/28 event. At the next championships in 1929/30, women's events were included for the first time.
In 1933, the women began conducting their own championships, with a wider range of events. Except for occasional combined championships in 1936, 1972 and 1976, the separation of men's and women's championships continued until the 1977/78 event[3].
[edit] Championship Events
The full range of Olympic events is not usually conducted at the National Championships. During the 2007/08 season the following championship events were held separately:
- Men's and Women's 10000 metres - Zatopek Classic - 13 December 2007[4].
- Men's 50 km walk - Melbourne - 16 December 2007[5].
- Women's 5000 metres - Sydney Grand Prix - 16 February 2008[6].
- Men's 5000 metres - IAAF World Athletics Tour, Melbourne meet - 21 February 2008[7].
- Men's and Women's 20 km walk - Melbourne - 23 February 2008[8].
[edit] Most successful athletes
- See also: Australian athletics champions and Australian athletics champions (Women)
The most successful athletes at the Championships have been throwers Gael Martin and Warwick Selvey who won 20 and 19 championships events, respectively [9].
[edit] List of National Championships
| YEAR |
VENUE |
PLACE |
| 1890 – 1891 |
Moore Park |
 Sydney, Australia |
| 1893 – 1894 |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1895 – 1896 |
Lancaster Park |
 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| 1897 – 1898 |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1899 – 1900 |
Bowen Park |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1901 – 1902 |
Auckland Domain |
Auckland, New Zealand |
| 1903 – 1904 |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1905 – 1906 |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1907 – 1908 |
Hobart Cricket Ground |
Hobart, Australia |
| 1909 – 1910 |
Bowen Park |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1911 – 1912 |
Basin Reserve |
Wellington, New Zealand |
| 1913 – 1914 |
Amateur Sports Ground |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1919 – 1920 |
Sydney Sports Ground |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1921 – 1922 |
Adelaide Oval |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1923 – 1924 |
North Hobart Oval |
Hobart, Australia |
| 1925 – 1926 |
Bowen Park |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1927 – 1928 |
Basin Reserve |
Wellington, New Zealand |
| 1929 – 1930 |
Melbourne Cricket Ground |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1931 – 1932 |
Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1932 – 1933 |
Amateur Sports Ground[10] |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1933 – 1934 |
Adelaide Oval[11] |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1934 – 1935 |
Lang Park[10] |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1935 – 1936 |
North Hobart Oval[11] / Rushcutters Bay Oval[10] |
Hobart / Sydney, Australia |
| 1937 – 1938 |
Bowen Park[11]/ Royal Park[10] |
Brisbane / Melbourne, Australia |
| 1939 – 1940 |
Leederville Oval [10] |
Perth, Australia |
| 1946 – 1947 |
Leederville Oval[11] |
Perth, Australia |
| 1947 – 1948 |
St. Kilda Cricket Ground[11] / University Oval[10] |
Melbourne / Sydney, Australia |
| 1948 – 1949 |
Sydney Cricket Ground[11] |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1949 – 1950 |
Adelaide Oval[11] / Norwood Oval[10] |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1950 – 1951 |
North Hobart Oval[11] |
Hobart, Australia |
| 1951 – 1952 |
Exhibition Grounds[11] / Olympic Park[10] |
Brisbane / Melbourne, Australia |
| 1952 – 1953 |
Leederville Oval[11] |
Perth, Australia |
| 1953 – 1954 |
Sydney Cricket Ground[11] / Leederville Oval[10] |
Sydney / Perth, Australia |
| 1954 – 1955 |
Kensington Oval, Adelaide[11] |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1955 – 1956 |
Olympic Park[11] / Brisbane Cricket Ground[10] |
Melbourne / Brisbane, Australia |
| 1956 – 1957 |
Olympic Park[11] |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1957 – 1958 |
Exhibition Grounds[11] / Sydney Sports Ground[10] |
Brisbane / Sydney, Australia |
| 1958 – 1959 |
North Hobart Oval[11] |
Hobart, Australia |
| 1959 – 1960 |
Leederville Oval[11] / North Hobart Oval[10] |
Perth / Hobart, Australia |
| 1960 – 1961 |
Lang Park[11] |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1961 – 1962 |
E.S. Marks Field[11] / West Parkland Field[10] |
Sydney / Adelaide, Australia |
| 1962 – 1963 |
Thebarton Oval[11] / Lang Park[10] |
Adelaide / Brisbane, Australia |
| 1963 – 1964 |
Olympic Park[11] / Royal Park[10] |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1964 – 1965 |
North Hobart Oval[11] / Perry Lakes Stadium[10] |
Hobart / Perth, Australia |
| 1965 – 1966 |
Perry Lakes Stadium[11] / Sydney Sports Ground[10] |
Perth / Sydney, Australia |
| 1966 – 1967 |
Olympic Sports Field[11] / North Hobart Oval[10] |
Adelaide / Hobart, Australia |
| 1967 – 1968 |
E.S. Marks Field[11] / Olympic Sports Field[10] |
Sydney / Adelaide, Australia |
| 1968 – 1969 |
Olympic Park[11] / Lang Park[10] |
Melbourne / Brisbane, Australia |
| 1969 – 1970 |
Olympic Sports Field[11] / Royal Park[10] |
Adelaide / Melbourne, Australia |
| 1970 – 1971 |
Lang Park[11] / Sydney Sports Ground[10] |
Brisbane / Sydney, Australia |
| 1971 – 1972 |
Perry Lakes Stadium |
Perth, Australia |
| 1972 – 1973 |
E.S. Marks Field[11] / North Hobart Oval[10] |
Sydney / Hobart, Australia |
| 1973 – 1974 |
Olympic Park[11] / Olympic Sports Field[10] |
Melbourne / Adelaide, Australia |
| 1974 – 1975 |
Olympic Sports Field[11] / Lang Park[10] |
Adelaide / Brisbane, Australia |
| 1975 – 1976 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1976 – 1977 |
The Domain[11] / Sydney Sports Ground[10] |
Hobart / Sydney, Australia |
| 1977 – 1978 |
QEII Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1978 – 1979 |
Perry Lakes Stadium |
Perth, Australia |
| 1979 – 1980 |
E.S. Marks Field |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1980 – 1981 |
Olympic Sports Field |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1981 – 1982 |
QEII Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1982 – 1983 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1983 – 1984 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1984 – 1985 |
Bruce Stadium |
Canberra, Australia |
| 1985 – 1986 |
Olympic Sports Field |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1986 – 1987 |
Sydney Athletic Field |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1987 – 1988 |
Perry Lakes Stadium |
Perth, Australia |
| 1988 – 1989 |
QEII Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1989 – 1990 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1990 – 1991 |
Sydney Athletic Field |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1991 – 1992 |
Olympic Sports Field |
Adelaide, Australia |
| 1992 – 1993 |
QEII Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 1993 – 1994 |
Sydney Athletic Field |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1994 – 1995 |
Sydney Athletic Field |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1995 – 1996 |
Sydney Athletic Field |
Sydney, Australia |
| 1996 – 1997 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1997 – 1998 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1998 – 1999 |
Olympic Park |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 1999 – 2000 |
Stadium Australia |
Sydney, Australia |
| 2000 – 2001 |
QE II Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 2001 – 2002 |
ANZ Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 2002 – 2003 |
ANZ Stadium |
Brisbane, Australia |
| 2003 – 2004 |
Sydney Olympic Park |
Sydney, Australia |
| 2004 – 2005 |
Sydney Olympic Park |
Sydney, Australia |
| 2005 – 2006 |
Sydney Olympic Park |
Sydney, Australia |
| 2004 – 2005 |
Sydney Olympic Park |
Sydney, Australia |
| 2006 – 2007 |
Sydney Olympic Park |
Sydney, Australia |
| 2007 – 2008 |
Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre |
Brisbane, Australia |
[edit] References
