A History of Australian Athletics

Athletics are compromised of four basic characteristics of human physical activity: running, walking, jumping, and throwing. The earliest athletic competitions were held in 3800 BCE in Memphis, Egypt. The Australians have been a major contributor in these competitions for centuries including the ancient and modern Olympics. Native Australians have natural skill passed on through generations of spear and boomerang throwing, mock fighting, and early forms of soccer, hockey, and tree climbing.

Australia has been such a large part of global athletics, in fact, that the 1956 Olympic Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, and the 2000 Summer Olympics were in Sydney, New South Wales, along with many other contests such as the 1938 British Empire Games and the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

A Brief Timeline

3800 BCE - 1810

Athletics have always been a substantial part of everyday Australian life. Australian athletes have participated in sport since the beginning of sport itself. However, the first recorded event in the Land Down Under was not until 1810 in Hyde Park, Sydney. Dicky Dowling won a sprint of just over 50 meters.

1811 - 1895

Towards the middle of the 19th century, professional foot racing became popular in the towns of New South Whales and Victoria. Miners would race for gold nuggets from the mine owners. Long distance walking also became very common. In 1878, W. Edwards walked 100 miles in about 24 hours. Amateur athletics also boomed although they received no financial rewards. The Adelaide Amateur Athletic Club became the first youth club in 1867, followed by many other clubs all over Australia. The need for a governing body was imminent, so on April 20, 1887, the Amateur Athletics Association opened in New South Whales.

1896 - Today

The national athletics body was recognized in 1897 as the Amateur Athletics Union of Australasia but eventually changed its name to Athletics Australia. Australia became a powerhouse when Edwin Flack won the 800m and 1500m in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Since then, Australia has produced many Olympic heroes including Herb Elliot, Betty Cuthbert, Shirley Strickland de la Hunty, Marjorie Jackson, Ron Clarke, John Landy, Raelene Boyle, Robert de Castella, and Cathy Freeman.

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