Sport Athletics Abbreviation AA Affiliation IAAF | Jurisdiction Australia Founded 1989 (1989) Regional affiliation OAA | |
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Athletics Australia is the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) recognised by the Australian Sports Commission for the sport of athletics in Australia.
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First founded in 1897, the organisation is responsible for administering a sport with over 16,000 registered athletes, coaches and officials.
History
Athletics Australia (AA) was originally the Athletic Union of Australasia, an amateur group founded in 1897. In 1928, New Zealand broke away to form its own national body and the Amateur Athletics Union of Australia (AAU) was the result.
In 1932, an Australian Women's Amateur Athletics Union (AWAAU) was instituted and it remained responsible for women's athletics until 1978. In that year, the separate national unions amalgamated into one governing body which, in 1989, was rebranded as Athletics Australia.
Overview
Affiliated with the IAAF, the organisation governs the sport of athletics throughout Australia, conducting a range of important competitions each year.
AA conducts the Athletics Grand Prix Series and the Australian Championships in Athletics, where athletes compete to gain selection at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. The Australian Athletics Team since 2009 has been known as the Australian Flame.
The association also provides co-ordination, guidance, and support to affiliated member organisations, which govern athletics in their respective states, territories or jurisdictions (e.g. Paralympic athletics).
A number of committees and commissions hold responsibilities in specialist areas such as Race walking, Coaching and Anti-doping.
Organisational Goals
Athletics Australia (AA) is responsible for achieving a number of key strategies, including:
The organisation has set a goal to finish in the top-ten countries competing in athletics at the 2012 London Olympics, winning five medals and achieving fourteen top-eight placings.
Hall of Fame
In 2000 Athletics Australia established its Hall of Fame to recognise outstanding achievement amongst Australia's greatest athletes. Induction is at the discretion of Athletics Australia's Special Awards Committee.