The 2023 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships will take place from Friday 21st April to Sunday 23rd April at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne, with the newest inductees into the Coles Little Athletics Australia Hall of Fame being announced on the Friday night.

The 2023 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships consists of three championship events across the weekend – the Australian Teams Championships, the Australian Combined Events Championships, and for the first time the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, where Australia’s best young athletes will compete for team and individual glory.

Based on individual performance at State level, top-performing Little Athletics athletes between the ages of U13 to U16 years across Australia have been invited to compete.

CEO of Coles Little Athletics Australia, Myles Foreman says, “We are thrilled with the introduction of the Australian Junior Athletics Championships which doubles the number of athletes who have the opportunity to participate in a national championship and builds upon the long history of the only State / Territory Team based athletics competition of its type in Australia”.

Coles Group General Manager Corporate & Indigenous Affairs, Sally Fielke says, “Coles has been proudly supporting Little Athletics for over five years, helping thousands of Aussie kids to lead healthier, happier lives through our national partnership with Little Athletics Australia as well as banana donations and sports equipment grants for local communities.  We’re delighted to once again be part of the Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships to help nurture Australia’s future track and field stars and bring our Coles ambassadors like Brandon Starc and Kelsey-Lee Barber to the event to inspire the young athletes.”

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On Friday 21st April following the 2023 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships Opening Ceremony, the Coles Little Athletics Australia Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held where former Little Athletes who have achieved at the highest level in their chosen sport or profession across four categories will be inducted:

• Track and Field – Former Little Athletes who have represented Australia in athletics
• Sportsperson – Former Little Athletes who have competed at the highest level in a sport
• Achievers – Former Little Athletes who have achieved in a non-sport-related discipline
• Volunteers – Any person (excluding those eligible for above) who have made an outstanding contribution to Little Athletics across Australia

At the Coles Little Athletics Australia Hall of Fame Ceremony the significant contributions of those internally involved in Little Athletics will be recognised across three categories:

• Life Membership of Little Athletics Australia
• Coles Little Athletics Australia Official of the Year Award
• Coles Little Athletics Australia Centre of the Year Award

The Coles Little Athletics Australia Hall of Fame Ceremony is a significant event not only within the  Little Athletics community but for the wider Australian sporting community as it celebrates the positive impact Little Athletics has had on influential individuals later in life. Developing important life skills, such as teamwork and endurance, Little Athletics helps to prepare for success on and off the sporting field

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