Athletics Australia has published its new high performance plan, leading up to the 2016 Olympics. I was pleased to see statements (on pages 16 and 17) which suggest AA has ‘downgraded’ the importance of the U18 World Championships and only athletes who can easily qualify and are likely to do very well should be sent to this event (ie they should not have to train specifically and try very hard to qualify). As my own research has shown, a tiny minority of U18 World Championship participants will ever progress to make a senior team, let alone do well at a World Championships or Olympic Games.
As I have argued for a long time, athletes hoping to one day participate and succeed at World Championships or Olympic Games (and hopefully do so repeatedly) should refrain from overly specific conditioning training at an age when they should instead be developing their overall athleticism and their technique.
AA will also seek to influence peak bodies to introduce an U23 World Championships. This would be a much more meaningful championships which would offer late developers and athletes in event groups where peak performances occur at a later age a welcome bridge to a successful seniors career.
5.9. Age Group Major Championships Program
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Other Notes
The World U18 Championships is only appropriate for the most physically and mentally mature athletes. Only a few athletes will progress from this event to contribute to the overall aims of the HP program. Due to their relative immaturity athletes require careful age-appropriate management. For these reasons team size will be managed by setting AA specific selection standards that reflect a realistic top eight performance based on previous WU18 championships results.
Many of the comments above also apply to the World U20 Championships, however these athletes only have one Championships opportunity every other year and so relatively more athletes should be given the chance to compete. For these reasons team size will be managed by setting AA specific selection standards that reflect a realistic top sixteen performance based on previous WU20 championships results.5.10. Influence International Calendar
Description
Influence peak sporting bodies to re-evaluate the age group major championships calendar.
For a program of Championships see Appendix 4 – International Championships Calender.
This strategic initiative is less structured than the earlier parts of this plan. Wherever possible and appropriate
AA staff should seek to influence decision makers and decision making bodies within the peak sporting bodies
along the following lines:
– create international Championships opportunities for the U23 age group;
– balance the U20 T&F program by adding an international Championships opportunity in odd calendar
years; and
– reduce the U18 program and re-balance the Championships opportunities across the Olympiad.