Australia is set to carry its World Athletics Relays momentum into next week’s Oceania Athletics Championships, where global javelin star Mackenzie Little, Paralympic prospect Layla Sharp and rising middle-distance talent Tate van Camp are among the names ready to ignite the nation’s north.
Selecting teams in the Open, Para-athletics and Under 18 competitions, Australia will be represented by almost 200 athletes at the home championships, which feature key rivals New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
For the Open athletes, the championships provide a key qualification opportunity for the 2027 World Athletics Championships by carrying crucial world rankings points.
Leading the charge is World Championships medallist Mackenzie Little (NSW, Angus McEntyre) who will go head-to-head with Tori Moorby (NZL) in the javelin for the 26th time of her career, with Little owning a 66.27m personal to hold the ascendency over Moorby at 63.26m.
Chasing a three-peat of Oceania titles having clinched gold in Suva and Mackay, Little will be joined by Australian teammate Lianna Davidson (NSW, Angus McEntyre) who is also capable of threatening the 60-metre barrier at her best.
“Training and competition are getting harder to prioritise as my responsibilities at work increase, so it’s a true joy to be able to crossover into my athletics alter ego and really try to have fun and exert myself in such a different way,” Little said.
“This championships will springboard my international season and give Angus and I some more data after a few months of adapted training – both of us and had to be flexible and opportunistic.
“I’m proud of how we’ve been able to grow and perform every season together. The dial is pointed firmly towards Commonwealth games for 2026!”
Fresh off a historic World Athletics Relays campaign which saw them win bronze in the Men’s 4x400m, Australia’s own Aidan Murphy (SA, Nik Hagicostas), Thomas Reynolds (VIC, Matthew Oakley) and Luke van Ratingen (NSW, Ben Liddy) are ready to do battle on the individual front in Darwin.
Murphy is enjoying a breakthrough season with personal bests of 44.81-seconds over 400m and 19.88-seconds over 200m, both of which he will contest in Darwin, while Renyolds and van Ratingen are knocking on the door of the sub-45 second club.
Australian 100m champion Georgia Harris (QLD, Paul Pearce) will have her work cut out for her in the form of Oceania record holder Zoe Hobbs (NZL) who owns 10.94-second credentials, while Joshua Azzopardi (NSW, Rob Marks) and Rohan Browning (NSW, Jack Edwards) will clash with Tiann Whelpton (NZL) and the fast-starting Pais Wisil (PNG).
In the field, a pair of rising stars will take flight as high jumper Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe) and long jumper Delta Amidzovski (NSW, Becky Amidzovski) gun for their maiden Open titles, while Olympic hammer thrower Stephanie Ratcliffe (VIC, Dale Stevenson) and high jump star Brandon Starc (NSW, Alex Stewart) are also set to feature – Ratcliffe against training partner Lauren Bruce (NZL) and Starc taking on Olympic champion Hamish Kerr (NZL).
Selected for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, teenage long jumpers Layla Sharp (NSW, Greg Smith, T38) and Sienna Newton (NSW, Kyle Newton & Andrew Murphy, T38) will be front and centre in the Para-athletics action, gearing up for Glasgow in the nation’s north.
“It’ll be nice to have some warm weather up in NT for a few days, forming part of my preparations towards the Commonwealth Games,” Sharp said.
“The Oceania Championships will give me and my coach an idea of where I’m at and what we need to work on heading into Glasgow. I’m really looking forward to it!”
Few athletes will be more popular than local product Briseis Brittain (NT, Roger Chin, T38) from Arnhem Land and Ramingining, who is ready to rumble in the Women’s 100m Ambulant alongside Walpiri sprinter Telaya Blacksmith (NSW, Jacinta Doyle, T20) and Paralympic medallists Mali Lovell (NSW, Katie Edwards, T36) and Danielle Aitchison (NZL, T36).
The Men’s Para-athletics program is spearheaded by Ullrich Muller (QLD, Stacey Taurima, T38) over 100m, while Australia’s Under 18 team includes record-breaking javelin thrower Tallara Joseph-Riogi (NSW, Courtney Joseph), 800m runner Tate van Camp (QLD, John Purcell) and steeplechaser Helena Butler (QLD, Melanie Black) who has been selected for the 2026 World Athletics Under 20 Championships.
The 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships will take place at the Arafura Stadium in Darwin from May 18-23.
Full entry lists and the timetable are available HERE.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 15/5/2026
