Athletics Australia (AA) has rescheduled the Australian Open 3000m Championships to Thursday, April 29 at Box Hill Athletic Club.
The Championship races were originally scheduled to take place during the 2021 Australian Track & Field Championships in Sydney, but after careful consideration and consultation with athletes, the Open 3000m events will now be held separately.
The decision to reschedule these events will allow Australia’s middle distance athletes to effectively prepare for multiple races and allow ample recovery time for those aiming to compete in the 1500m or 3000m Steeplechase events.
Athletics Australia President Mark Arbib acknowledged that this may disrupt travel plans set by many athletes and coaches, however it is AA’s responsibility to put the wellbeing of athletes first.
“A decision to move events out of the 2021 Australian Track & Field Championships just weeks before they are set to begin does not come lightly, however after much deliberation with athletes and coaches, we believe this is the right thing to do,” Arbib said.
“We wish all athletes and coaches the very best in these final weeks leading up to the Australian Track and Field Championships and look forward to seeing our 3000m middle distance runners compete late next month in Melbourne.”
Athletics Australia will be welcoming entries from athletes that have previously run sub 8:20.0 (men) and sub 9:40.0 (women).
Event details
Date: April 29, 2021
Venue: Box Hill Athletic Club
Entry: Athletes can enter via Athletics Australia’s website: https://www.athletics.com.au/events/96032/
By Sascha Ryner
Posted: 24/3/2021