More than 20 athletics stakeholders from across Australia have today united to launch the Athletics in Australia National Participation Plan (AANPP), the first co-designed national participation strategy for athletics in Australia.
The Plan represents a historic commitment across athletics to strengthen collaboration, enhance connections, and to ensure athletics is more inclusive and accessible for all Australians.
Developed through extensive national consultation, the Plan brings together the voices of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, club leaders, parents, teachers, administrators, government representatives, and industry bodies.
At the heart of the Plan is a shared vision that everyone has a place in athletics.
The AANPP sets an ambitious aspiration of athletics participation climbing to five million Australians annually and growing the formal national membership base to 200,000 athletes, coaches, and officials by 2034.
The Plan is supported by a broad coalition of athletics organisations, including Australian Athletics and its Member Associations, all Little Athletics Member Associations, Australian Masters Athletics, the Australian Ultra and Trail Runners Association, the TCS Sydney Marathon, and parkrun.
Designed to align with the Australian Sports Commission led Play Well participation strategy, the Plan seeks to harness the once-in-a-generation opportunity presented by the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to create a lasting participation legacy.
The Plan features eight key themes designed to strengthen and futureproof athletics participation across Australia, including:
Significant progress has already been achieved during the Establishment Phase of the Plan over the past 12 months.
This includes the unification of Australian Athletics and Little Athletics Australia, the delivery of the aligned Junior Athletics and Little Athletics National Championships, the expansion of initiatives to support the inclusion of more participants with a disability, development of evidence-based state facilities plans and guidance for short track facilities, implementation of new workforce technology, the drafting of a National Officiating strategy, and enhancements to participation data collection.
The AANPP was built by athletics, for athletics.
“This Plan represents the most united and collaborative approach to participation planning and growth our sport has ever undertaken,” Australian Athletics CEO Simon Hollingsworth said.
“We know athletics means different things to different people, from Little Athletics to Masters and club competition to recreational running, trail running, volunteering, coaching, and officiating.
“The Plan recognises and embraces all forms of athletics.
“Importantly, this is not just a vision document.
“Significant work is already underway, and the sport is committed to delivering meaningful outcomes for participants and communities across Australia.
“Through this Plan, we want more Australians than ever before to experience the benefits of athletics and to feel that they belong in our sport.”
To find more information about the Athletics in Australia National Participation and to download the full Plan go to HERE
By Luke Dennehy, Australian Athletics
Posted 3/6/2026
