Australian Athletics has aced its World Para Athletics (WPA) International Classification event thanks to the Darwin International Tennis Centre and a WPA team led by Claire Tucak, held alongside last week’s Oceania Athletics Championships.
World Para Athletics International Classification is a process used to determine an athlete’s eligibility to compete in international Para-athletics with the intention of creating a fair and equal competition based on impairment, and with only 10 events held annually across the world, Australia is staking its claim as a world leader in the department.
A deliberate push from Australian Athletics has taken the nation’s World Para Athletics International Classification events from run-down changerooms in 2019 to the world-class Darwin International Tennis Centre (DITC) in 2026 – largely a result of the Para-athletics funding uplift.
“This event is a full circle moment for Australian Athletics and Para-athletics here in Australia,” said Steve Caddy, Head of Para Program at Australian Athletics.
“We have made a conscious effort to increase the professionalism of classification and the experience for both athletes and classifiers.
“The DITC has provided the private and comfortable spaces required to conduct classification with the dignity and professionalism the process deserves.”
Those sentiments were echoed by chief classifier for the event, Claire Tucak, who headed up a team of five classifiers from World Para Athletics to ensure the event was run not only in a world-class facility, but so too by world-class professionals.
“Two of us are from Australia, one from South Africa, one from the Netherlands and one from Poland,” Tucak said.
“We are all internationally certified through the process with World Para Athletics. Some of us are medical classifiers and we also have technical classifiers here as well.
“The Darwin International Tennis Centre was a great space! There was lots of room for the panel to conduct all their assessments, and it was right next door to the track where we could do the technical assessments.”
The team cast their eyes over many athletes throughout the Oceania Athletics Championships both in the classification process and in competition, with Australian Athletics capitalising on the home event by removing financial barriers to classification.
“The uplift in funding and specific investment in classification with the intention of removing classification as a barrier to Para-athletics, has been integral in our endeavours to ensure athletes have access to classification,” Caddy said.
“Tim Sheahan [Para-Athletics Classification Coordinator – PA/AA) has done a fantastic job putting all the pieces together to deliver this event. He has created an experience for the World Para Athletics International Classifiers that will only strengthen our relationship with World Para Athletics.
“We pride ourselves on delivering these events to the highest standard and the feedback we receive from our classifiers is that no other classification host delivers events to the level of professionalism and organisation that Australian Athletics provides.”
In addition to the investment provided to host the event, the Para-athletics funding uplift and introduction of Para Units has seen a significant improvement in athletes’ preparation for classification and support at the event, largely by reducing financial barriers to athletes obtaining relevant documentation through the Para Unit Para Sport & Classification Advisor roles.
The support of Paralympics Australia and the Victorian Institute of Sport to partner with Michael Coppo (VIS/TIS Para Unit Para Sport & Classification Advisor) was integral in assisting many of the Para-athletes that attended international classification in Darwin with incredible preparation and educated support throughout the classification process.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 28/5/2026
