Coles Community Round is back for 2026, bringing together Little Athletics Centres, sporting heroes and local communities for a two-week celebration of Coles’ nine-year partnership with Little Athletics.
Taking place from 4–17 November, a record 344 Little Athletics Centres will host a Coles-themed round, celebrating this incredible partnership and the positive impact it continues to have on communities nationwide. This year’s Coles Community Round will also see 22 Ambassadors, including 16 Little Athletics Ambassadors and 6 Coles Ambassadors, visit 85 Little Athletics Centres across Australia, inspiring the next generation of athletes and celebrating the important role Little Athletics plays in local communities.
A record 344 Little Athletics Centres will participate in this year’s Coles Community Round, highlighting the continued impact of the partnership through banana donations, equipment grants, community initiatives and opportunities to connect young athletes with their sporting heroes.
The 2026 Coles Community Round Ambassador program brings together an exciting group of Australian sporting talent, including Olympians, Commonwealth Games medallists and World Champions.
Among the participating Ambassadors are Olympic Champions Nina Kennedy and Sally Pearson as well as Commonwealth Games gold medallists Matt Denny and Isaac Beacroft, alongside former World Champions Kelsey-Lee Barber and Jaryd Clifford, and Olympians Brandon Starc, Sarah Carli, Cam McEntyre, Ella Connolly and Stephanie Ratcliffe.
This year’s program also welcomes seven new Little Athletics Ambassadors, all of whom have represented Australia on the international stage. Their involvement will provide even more opportunities for young athletes to connect with experienced competitors, hear their stories and be inspired to pursue their own sporting goals.
Throughout Coles Community Round, Ambassadors will share training tips, participate in Centre activities, encourage healthy eating and celebrate the achievements of local athletes, helping inspire the next generation of Australian sporting talent.
To view the full list of Centres receiving an athlete Ambassador visit, download the list here.
One of the highlights of this year’s Coles Community Round will be seven Little Athletics Ambassadors returning to the Centres where their own athletic journeys began.
These special visits celebrate the important role Little Athletics plays in developing athletes, building confidence and creating lifelong connections with sport.
For the young athletes attending, the opportunity to meet an Australian sporting hero who once stood on the same track, competed in the same events or represented the same Centre is a powerful reminder of what is possible through Little Athletics.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Isaac Beacroft will also return to his former Centre, Quakers Hill Little Athletics, making the visit particularly meaningful as he shares his journey from Little Athletics to the international stage.
Coles Little Athletics and Australian Athletics will once again run the Coles Community Round National Photo Competition, encouraging Centres to capture and share their celebrations while showcasing the impact of the Coles partnership within their communities.
Centres are encouraged to get creative, celebrate their Coles Community Round activities and share their favourite moments through social media.
Entering is simple! During Coles Community Round, share your Centre’s best photo or video celebrating the occasion on social media.
To enter:
Get creative, celebrate your Centre and showcase the fantastic impact of the Coles partnership in your community for the chance to win exciting prizes!
Centres that enter the competition will be judged across three categories:
There will be State and National winners across the competition, with the following prizes available:
State prizes
National prizes
The three competition categories will also apply to the overall National winners, giving Centres further opportunities to showcase their celebrations and be recognised for their creativity and community spirit.
We look forward to celebrating another fantastic Coles Community Round and thank Coles for their continued support in strengthening Little Athletics communities across Australia and helping inspire the next generation of Australian athletes.
By Stephanie Grujoski, Australian Athletics | Coles Little Athletics
Posted 4/11/2026
