Sydney Track Classic

Last updated
Sydney Track Classic
Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales (aerial view, 2010).jpg
The Sydney Olympic Park complex which contains the meet venue
DateFebruary/March
Location Sydney, Australia Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Event type Track and field
Official site Sydney Track Classic

The Sydney Track Classic is an annual outdoor track and field meeting held in February or March at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre in the suburb of Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia. It is part of the national Australian Athletics Tour, alongside the Melbourne Track Classic. [1] [2]

Contents

The history of the event emerged from a series of major athletics meetings which were held in the 1990s. [3] The 1999 competition was the opening leg of the IAAF Grand Prix circuit and it formed part of the preparation towards the 2000 Sydney Olympics. [4] The meeting was abandoned in 2002, but events hosted by the Sydney University Athletics Club and Athletics New South Wales saw the Sydney Track Classic restored in 2006. [3]

By 2009 the competition was attracting top level domestic athletes (such as Steve Hooker and Sally McLellan) as well as a number of high-profile foreign athletes (including Asafa Powell, Melaine Walker, and Valerie Vili). [5] The meeting was ranked first domestically for the level of performances that year. [3] Hooker, Dani Samuels and Tero Pitkämäki provided the highlights of the 2010 edition, [6] while Mitchell Watt and David Rudisha topped the bill in 2011. [7]

In 2020 the meeting kicked off the inaugural World Athletics Continental Tour. [8]

Previous Editions

YearTitleVenueDateStatus
1980Alcoa Challenge Series - Sydney ES Marks Field 30 December 1979
1981Alcoa Challenge Series - Sydney ES Marks Field 8 March 1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989AIS Drug Offensive8 February 1989
1990Commonwealth Challenge14 January 1990
1991Mobil Grand Prix20 January 1991
1992Sugar Games25 January 1992
1993Sugar Games23 January 1993
1994Mars Challenge30 January 1994
1995Optus Grand Prix Final - Sydney21 March 1995
1996Optus Grand Prix - Sydney11 February 1996
1997Optus Grand Prix - Sydney Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 27 January 1997
1998Sydney Track Tour Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 28 February 1998
1999Optus Grand Prix - Sydney Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 20 February 1999
2000Optus Grand Prix - Sydney Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 13 February 2000
2001Telstra Athletics Grand Prix - Sydney Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 16 February 2001
2002
2003Telstra A-series - Sydney Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 22 March 2003
2004
2005
2006
2007Telstra A series - Sydney Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 17 February 2007
2008Sydney Athletics Grand Prix Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 12 January 2008

(Sydney Track Classic?)

16 February 2008

2009Sydney GP Series Meet Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 28 February 2009
2010Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 27 February 2010
2011Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 19 March 2011
2012Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 18 February 2012
2013Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 9 March 2013
2014Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 15 March 2014
2015Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 15 March 2015
2016Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 19 March 2016
2017
2018
2019Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 23 February 2019
2020Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 22 February 2020 Continental Tour Bronze
2021Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 13 March 2021 Continental Tour Bronze
2022Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 12 March 2022 Continental Tour Bronze
2023Sydney Track Classic Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre 11 March 2023 Continental Tour Challenger
2024Sydney Track Classic ES Marks Field 23 March 2024 Continental Tour Challenger

Meet Records

Men

EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateRef
100 m 9.94 Frankie Fredericks Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia 1999
200 m 20.42 (+0.2 m/s) LaShawn Merritt Flag of the United States.svg United States15 March 2014 [9]
400 m 44.65 Fred Kerley Flag of the United States.svg United States11 March 2023 [10]
800 m 1:43.15 David Rudisha Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya2010
1500 m 3:32.55 William Chirchir Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya2000
3000 m 7:46.38 Cameron Myers Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia23 March 2024 [11]
5000 m 13:29.99 Matthew Ramsden Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia13 March 2021 [12]
110 m hurdles 13.25 (+0.3 m/s) Rachid Muratake Flag of Japan.svg Japan11 March 2023 [13]
400 m hurdles 48.49 Bryan Bronson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1998
3000 m steeplechase 8:19.14 Julius Kipchoge Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 2012
High jump 2.31 m Charles Austin Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1998
Pole vault 5.95 m Steven Hooker Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia2009 [14]
Long jump 7.88 (+0.4 m/s) Jalen Rucker Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [15]
Triple jump 17.28 m Justin Anlezark Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia1996
Shot put 17.77 m Aiden Harvey Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [16]
Hammer throw 68.44 m Ned Weatherley Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [17]
Javelin throw 85.28 m Andrew Currey Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia2000
4 × 100 m relay 38.50 Jake Doran
Jacob Despard
Calab Law
Rohan Browning
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [18]

Women

EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateRef
100 m 10.97 (+0.5 m/s) Zoe Hobbs Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand11 March 2023 [19]
200 m 21.98 Marion Jones Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1998
400 m 50.43 Jana Pittman Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia2003
800 m 1:58.62 Abbey Caldwell Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [20]
1500 m 4:10.37 Heidi See Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia19 March 2016 [21]
3000 m 8:31.81 Jessica Hull Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [22]
5000 m 15:04.07 Mercy Cherono Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya15 March 2014 [23]
100 m hurdles 12.70 (+0.6 m/s) Michelle Jenneke Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [24]
400 m hurdles 54.64 Jana Pittman Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia2003
High jump 1.94 m Nicola Olyslagers Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia11 March 2023 [25]
Pole vault 4.82 m Nina Kennedy Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia13 March 2021 [26]
Long jump 6.76 m Nicole Boegman Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia1996
Triple jump 13.77 m Nicole Mladenis Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia2004
Shot put 20.67 m Valerie Adams Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand2012
Discus throw 66.21 m Dani Samuels Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia14 March 2015 [27]
Hammer throw 69.71 m Bronwyn Eagles Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia2003 [28]
Javelin throw 64.84 m Kathryn Mitchell Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia17 March 2018 [29]
4 × 100 m relay 42.94 Ebony Lane
Bree Masters
Ella Connolly
Torrie Lewis
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia23 March 2024 [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bislett Games</span> Athletics tournament held in Norway

The Bislett Games is an annual track and field meeting at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the Diamond League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Adams</span> New Zealand shot putter

Dame Valerie Kasanita Adams is a retired New Zealand shot putter. She is a four-time World champion, four-time World Indoor champion, two-time Olympic, three-time Commonwealth Games champion and twice IAAF Continental Cup winner. She has a personal best throw of 21.24 metres (69.7 ft) outdoors and 20.98 metres (68.8 ft) indoors. These marks are Oceanian, Commonwealth and New Zealand national records. She also holds the Oceanian junior record (18.93 m) and the Oceanian youth record (17.54 m), as well as the World Championships record, World Indoor Championships record and Commonwealth Games record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dani Stevens</span> Australian discus thrower

Dani Stevens is a retired Australian discus thrower who in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in the event. She is the current national and Oceanian record holder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Rudisha</span> Kenyan middle-distance runner (born 1988)

David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800 metres. He is a two-time back-to-back Olympic champion from the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, a two-time World champion from the 2011 and 2015 World Championships in Athletics, and a world record holder at the event with a time of 1:40.91, set at the 2012 London Games on 9 August 2012. Rudisha is the first and only person to ever run 800 metres under 1:41, and he holds the three fastest, six of the eight fastest, and half of the twenty fastest times ever run in this event.

The 500 metres is an uncommon middle-distance running event in track and field and road running competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond League</span> World athletics tour

The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising fifteen of the best invitational athletics meetings. The series sits in the top tier of the World Athletics one-day meeting competitions.

Jeremy Roff is an Australian middle-distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Balance Indoor Grand Prix</span> Annual indoor track and field meet

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, formerly known as the Boston Indoor Games, is an annual indoor track and field meet which is held in late January or early February at the Track at New Balance. Prior to 2023, it was hosted at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center. It was first held in Roxbury, a neighborhood in Boston, in 1996 and has become one of the foremost events of its type in the United States, alongside the Millrose Games.

The Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne is an annual outdoor track and field meeting which takes place in February at the Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne, Australia since 2023. Last held under the old name, Melbourne Track Classic, in early March 2016, prior to 2012 the meeting was held at the Olympic Park Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Kerley</span> American sprinter (born 1995)

Fredrick Lee Kerley is an American professional track and field sprinter who started his career competing in the 400 meters until 2020, when he transitioned to the 100 meters and 200 meters. He has earned several medals at the World Championships in the 400 m and 4 × 400 m relay including an individual bronze and a relay gold at the 2019 edition. Kerley claimed 100 m gold in the 2022 edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Australian Athletics Championships</span> International athletics championship event

The 2016 Australian Athletics Championships was the 94th edition of the national championship in outdoor track and field for Australia. It was held from 31 March to 3 April at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre in Sydney. It served as the selection meeting for Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoe Hobbs</span> New Zealand sprinter

Zoe Hobbs is a New Zealand track and field sprinter competing in the 60 metres, 100 m and 200 m. She is the Oceanian indoor record holder for the 60 m and the Oceanian record holder for the 100 m.

The following table is an overview of national records in the 100 metres.

References

  1. 2011 Australian Athletics Tour. Athletics Australia. Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  2. Neville to test Australia’s 400m stocks in Sydney and Melbourne – IAAF World Challenge. IAAF (2010-01-27). Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  3. 1 2 3 History. Sydney Track Classic. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
  4. Grand Prix Calendar 2000. IAAF (1999-11-25). Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  5. Hurst, Mike (2009-02-29). Huge 400m PB for Powell, but local heroes by no means upstaged in Sydney. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  6. Hurst, Mike (2010-02-27).Hooker and Samuels and visitors Pitkämäki and Vili shine at high class Sydney Classic. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  7. Tarbotton, David & Green, Lloyd (2011-03-19). Watt sails 8.38m while Rudisha cruises in Sydney. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  8. "Inaugural World Athletics Continental Tour to kick off this weekend". World Athletics. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  9. "Sydney Track Classic 2014 Complete Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  10. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 5. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  11. "Men's 3000m Results". World Athletics. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  12. Len Johnson (13 March 2021). "Stevens returns, Kennedy breaks Australian pole vault record in Sydney". World Athletics. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  13. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 6. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  14. Sydney Track Classic Results. Athletics Australia. Retrieved on 2015-04-17.
  15. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 7. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  16. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 7. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  17. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 7. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  18. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 6. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  19. "HISTORY FOR HULL AND HOBBS AS KERLEY SAYS FAREWELL". Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  20. "HISTORY FOR HULL AND HOBBS AS KERLEY SAYS FAREWELL". Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  21. "Sydney Track Classic 2016 Complete Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  22. "HISTORY FOR HULL AND HOBBS AS KERLEY SAYS FAREWELL". Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  23. "Sydney Track Classic 2014 Complete Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  24. "HISTORY FOR HULL AND HOBBS AS KERLEY SAYS FAREWELL". Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  25. "2023 Sydney Track Classic Results" (PDF). Athletics Australia. 11 March 2023. p. 3. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  26. Len Johnson (13 March 2021). "Stevens returns, Kennedy breaks Australian pole vault record in Sydney". World Athletics. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  27. Len Johnson (14 March 2015). "Rudisha opens with Impressive 1:45.01 in Sydney". IAAF. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  28. Sydney Track Classic Results. Athletics Australia. Retrieved on 2015-04-17
  29. "Javelin Throw Results". Athletics Australia. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  30. "Women's 4×100m Relay Results". World Athletics. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.