Oceania Area Championships in Athletics

Last updated
Oceania Athletics Championships
Statusactive
Genresports event
Frequencybiennial
Location(s)various
Inaugurated 1990
Most recent 2022
Next event 2024 , 4 to 8 June; Suva, Fiji
Organised by Oceania Athletics Association
Website athletics-oceania.com

The Oceania Athletics Championships is an athletics event organized by the Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) for the World Athletics (WA; formerly the IAAF) member associations of the Oceania region. [1]

Contents

The event has been held jointly with the Under-20 championships since 1994 and Under-18 championships since 2000. From 2014, para-athletics events were included in the championships.

History

First held in 1990 in Suva, it was initially conceived as a quadrennial event; however, after the second edition in 1994, the championships changed to a biennial event. After the 2010 championships, there were significant changes in the format of the competition. Now being held as a regional championships (in 2011 and 2012), the associations were divided into two divisions based on their geographical location (either east or west). However, the competition was revised back to its original format as an area championships in 2013. [2] [3]

Since the inaugural championships in 1990 (up until 2017), unlike the rest of the OAA member federations, only Australia and New Zealand send their second tier teams to compete in the championships. This was to allow pacific island nations to be competitive and challenge for medals. [4] However, in 2019, the championships increased in competition status with the then IAAF (now World Athletics) changing the qualification criteria for the 2019 World Championships in Doha and the 2020 Summer Olympics, whereby athletes could qualify through World Athletics ranking points: continental - ie. area - championships were granted 'tier-one' status offering more ranking points under the WA world rankings system. [5] [6]

The 2021 edition set for Korman Stadium in Port Vila was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making this the first cancellation of the event. [7]

Editions

EditionYearHost CityHost CountryDateVenueEventsNationsAthletesChampions
1 1990 Suva Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 11–14 July National Stadium 39Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2 1994 Auckland Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 22–26 February38Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
3 1996 Townsville Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 28–30 November42Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
4 1998 Nuku'alofa Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 27–28 August Teufaiva Stadium 39Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
5 2000 Adelaide Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 24–26 August Santos Stadium 40Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
6 2002 Christchurch Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 12–14 December Queen Elizabeth II Park 40Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
7 2004 Townsville Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 16–18 December Townsville Sports Reserve 38Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
8 2006 Apia Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 12–16 December Apia Park 37Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
9 2008 Saipan Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands 25–28 June Oleai Sports Complex 39Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea
10 2010 Cairns Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 23–25 September Barlow Park 36Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
11 2013 Papeete Flag of French Polynesia.svg  French Polynesia 3–5 June Stade Pater Te Hono Nui 44Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
12 2014 Rarotonga Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands 24–26 June BCI Stadium 40Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
13 2015 Cairns Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 8–10 May Barlow Park 60Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
14 2017 Suva Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 28 June–1 July ANZ National Stadium 57Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
15 2019 Townsville Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 25–28 June Townsville Sports Reserve 59Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
2021 Port Vila Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
16 2022 Mackay Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 7–11 June Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Centre 46Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
17 2024 Suva Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 4–8 June HFC Bank Stadium TBCTBC

All-time medal table

The all-time Oceania Athletics Championships medal table is the sum of all medals won by OAA member federations, associate members, as well as invited teams from the very first edition till the most recent championships in 2022. All medals counted are based on the official results posted on the Oceania Athletics Association website. Medals won by Para-athletes are also included.

Associate members with medals are listed in italic. Also listed in italic but are unranked are invited athletics teams.

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 20113095426
2Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 185193155533
3Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 888780255
4Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 755957191
5Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 34182173
6Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 24334097
Flag of the Northern Territory.svg / Flag of Queensland.svg Regional Australia [2] 18181248
7Flags of New Caledonia.svg  New Caledonia [1] 16211956
8Flag of French Polynesia.svg  French Polynesia 15222259
9Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 10101131
10Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu 7141536
11Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands 5121229
12Flag of Guam.svg  Guam 5101732
13Flag of Norfolk Island.svg  Norfolk Island 5229
14Flag of France.svg  Wallis and Futuna [1] 2114
15Flag of Kiribati.svg  Kiribati 16411
16Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands 1438
17Flag of American Samoa.svg  American Samoa 13812
Flag of French Polynesia.svg Tahiti West Coast [3] 1034
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australian Masters team [4] 0202
18Flag of Palau.svg  Palau 0112
19Flag of Nauru.svg  Nauru 0033
20Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg  Marshall Islands 0011
Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg  Micronesia 0011
Totals (21 entries)6946465831923

As of 2019, only Tuvalu (OAA member federation) and Niue (OAA associate member) have yet to win a medal.

Championship records

Regional Championships

Oceania Athletics has three regions: Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Since 2000, each region, in a non area championships year, hold their own regional championships. The regions at the regional meetings decide the location for the Championships. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Melanesian Championships

Participating associations

Editions

YearCityCountryDateVenueNo. of
Events
No. of
Athletes
1 2001 Suva Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji April
2 2003 Lae Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 25–27 April
3 2005 Lae Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 22–24 April Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium
4 2007 Cairns Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 14–19 August Barlow Park
5 2009 Gold Coast Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 4–8 August Griffith University
6 2016 Suva Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 7–9 July ANZ Stadium
7 2018 Port Vila Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu 9–11 May Korman Stadium

Micronesian Championships

Participating associations

Editions

YearCityCountryDateVenueNo. of
Events
No. of
Athletes
1 2003 Koror Flag of Palau.svg  Palau 25–26 April
2 2005 Saipan Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands 14–15 December Oleai Sports Complex
3 2007 Yona Flag of Guam.svg  Guam 14–15 December Leo Palace Resort
4 2009 Gold Coast Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 4–8 August Griffith University
5 2016 Kolonia Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg  Federated States of Micronesia 2–4 June
6 2018 Saipan Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands 14–16 June Oleai Sports Complex

Polynesian Championships

Participating associations

Editions

YearCityCountryDateVenueNo. of
Events
No. of
Athletes
1 2000 Apia Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa
2 2005 Papeete Flag of French Polynesia.svg  French Polynesia October
3 2007 Rarotonga Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands October 16–17
4 2009 Gold Coast Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia August 4–8 Griffith University
5 2016 Papeete Flag of French Polynesia.svg  French Polynesia April 7–9 Pater Stadium

Oceania Cup

In addition to the Oceania Area Championsips, there is also the Oceania Cup, where teams from Australia, New Zealand, and the respective host country competed with combined teams from Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. After a long period of not being held, this Oceania Cup started again in 2021 and 2023. [9] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] The Australian team recruited from the winner team of the Australian Clubs Championships, which, in both years, was the University of Queensland Athletic Club. [21] [17]

YearCityCountryDateVenueNo. of
Events
No. of
Athletes
1 2001 Port Vila Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu July 14
2 2003 Apia Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa June 26–27 Apia Park
3 2021 [22] Runaway Bay, Gold CoastFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 5 June Gold Coast Performance Centre
4 2023 Saipan Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands 23–24 June Oleai Sports Complex 32+100

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceania Athletics Association</span> Governing body for athletics in Oceania

The Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Oceania. The OAA head office is located in Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Oceania Athletics Championships</span> International athletics championship event

The 2011 Oceania Athletics Championships were held at the Apia Park in Apia, Samoa, between June 21–23, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Oceania Athletics Championships</span> International athletics championship event

The 2012 Oceania Athletics Championships were held at the Barlow Park in Cairns, Australia, between June 27–29, 2012.

The Oceania U20 Athletics Championships is an athletics competition organized by the Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) open to under-20 athletes from member and associate member associations. It was called the Oceania Junior Athletics Championships from 1994 to 2014. The competition is held biennially together with the Oceania Open Championships for the first time in 1994 until 1998, and again since 2010. In 2012, the new regional "East–West" format was applied with Medals now being awarded for athletes from both the Eastern and the Western Region by separating the results correspondingly.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Oceania Athletics Championships</span> Athletic competition

The 2013 Oceania Athletics Championships were held at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Papeete, French Polynesia, between June 3–5, 2013. The event was held jointly with the 2013 Oceania Youth Athletics Championships, and there were also exhibition events for masters, athletes with a disability and children. Detailed reports on a day by day basis were given.

The 2007 Polynesian Championships in Athletics took place between October 16–17, 2007. The event was held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in conjunction with the Cook Islands Secondary School Championships and the Cook Island National Track and Field Championships. It was open for athletes aged under 19. Detailed reports were given for the OAA, and for the French Polynesia Athletics Federation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Oceania Athletics Championships</span> International athletics championship event

The 2014 Oceania Athletics Championships were held at the BCI Stadium in Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, between June 24–26, 2014. The event was held jointly with the 2014 Oceania Junior Athletics Championships, and there were also exhibition events for masters, and athletes with a disability (parasports). Detailed reports on a day by day basis were given.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Oceania Athletics Championships</span> International athletics championship event

The 2015 Oceania Athletics Championships were held at Barlow Park in Cairns, Australia, between May 8–10, 2015. The event was held jointly with the 2015 Oceania Youth Athletics Championships and the 2015 Oceania Combined Events Championships. Moreover, there were also exhibition events for masters and athletes with a disability (parasports), as well as school events for age groups 5 to 15 years. Detailed reports on a day by day basis were given.

The 2015 Oceania Youth Athletics Championships were held at the Barlow Park in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, between May 8–10, 2015. They were held together with the 2015 Oceania Area Championships. Detailed reports on a day by day basis were given.

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References

  1. "Oceania Athletics Area Championships". Oceania Athletics. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. Oceania Regional Championships is only 115 days away!!, OAA, February 25, 2011, retrieved March 8, 2013
  3. Oceania Regional Championships Handbook - includes official program and athletes/federations competing. Updated 14 June 2011 (PDF), OAA, June 14, 2011, p. 23, retrieved March 8, 2013[ permanent dead link ]
  4. Australian Team for Oceania Championships Announced, Armidale Athletic Club, 26 October 2004, archived from the original on 22 February 2014, retrieved 14 February 2014
  5. "PRESS RELEASE: ENTRIES OAC 2019". OAA. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  6. "Australia and New Zealand to field strong teams at invigorated Oceania Athletics Championships". Inside the Games. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  7. "OCEANIA ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021". OAA. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  8. "REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS". Oceania Athletics. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  9. 1 2 Oceania Cup / Regional Championships, OAA , retrieved March 11, 2013
  10. MELANESIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, Athletics Weekly, retrieved March 11, 2013
  11. MICRONESIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, Athletics Weekly, retrieved March 11, 2013
  12. POLYNESIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, Athletics Weekly, retrieved March 11, 2013
  13. Snow, Bob, PNG in International Competition: 2001 - 2005, Papua New Guinea Athletics Union , retrieved February 14, 2014
  14. Micronesian Team for Oceania Cup Final, OAA, 28 May 2003, retrieved February 14, 2014
  15. Peter Pulu Heads Melanesian Team, OAA, 6 June 2003, archived from the original on 2014-02-22, retrieved February 14, 2014
  16. Kiwis Ready for Oceania Cup Final, OAA, 9 June 2003, archived from the original on 2014-02-22, retrieved February 14, 2014
  17. 1 2 Matt Back for Second Oceania Cup Final, OAA, 23 June 2003, retrieved February 14, 2014
  18. The 2003 Oceania Cup Final Competition was previewed at a special media launch in Apia, Samoa, last night., OAA, 25 June 2003, retrieved February 14, 2014
  19. Oceania Cup Final - Results Days 1 and 2, OAA, 26 June 2003, retrieved February 14, 2014
  20. Snow, Bob (7 July 2003), National Records Galore at Oceania Cup, OAA , retrieved February 14, 2014
  21. ATHLETICS AUSTRALIA - 2001 Australian Clubs Championships, CoolRunning Australia, 17 January 2001, retrieved February 14, 2014