Coach's Guide to Athletics South Africa Youth Competition U16-U20 2026/27

From the ASA championship programme table (ASA Rule 23.5):

Boys/men

Girls/women

Differences from World Athletics: the World Athletics 2026 implement table (TR 32) specifies 3.000kg shot and hammer for U18 women and 4.000kg shot and hammer for senior women. The other U18, U20 and senior weights above match World Athletics.

At ASA competitions organisers must provide implements; athletes may use their own only if checked and approved before the competition (ASA Rule 30).

From the ASA championship programme table (ASA Rule 23.5):

World Athletics TR 22 spacings for U18, U20 and senior:

• 110mH: 13.72m to the first hurdle, 9.14m between, 14.02m to finish, 10 hurdles.
• 100mH: 13.00m, 8.50m, 10.50m, 10 hurdles.
• 400mH: 45.00m, 35.00m, 40.00m, 10 hurdles.
• 300mH: 50.00m, 35.00m, 40.00m, 7 hurdles.

World Athletics lists U18 men's 400mH at 0.838m; ASA's table prints 84.0cm. The ASA table doesn't give spacings for the U16 hurdle races.

From the ASA championship programme table (ASA Rule 23.5):

Note on U18 boys: World Athletics TR 23 (2026 edition) specifies 0.838m steeplechase barriers for U18 men, which differs from the 91.4cm printed in ASA's 2024 table.

The ASA championship programme (ASA Rule 23.5) sets these take-off board distances:

World Athletics TR 31 says that, where the level of competition requires separate boards, the take-off line must be at least 13m (men) and 11m (women) from the near end of the landing area; at any other competition the distance should suit the level of competition.

From the ASA championship programme (ASA Rule 23.5) and World Athletics TR 39:

World Athletics event order:

• Decathlon: day 1: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m. Day 2: 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1500m.
• Heptathlon (U18 and U20 women): day 1: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m. Day 2: long jump, javelin, 800m.

Each athlete uses the implements and hurdle heights for their own age group. Combined events are scored on the World Athletics scoring tables (ASA Rule 31). In combined events, long jump and each throw get three trials only, high jump bar rises are a uniform 3cm (pole vault 10cm), and one false start per race is allowed.

The ASA programme doesn't list the events that make up the U16 pentathlon.

Road races (ASA Rule 23.4): minimum ages, the same for boys and girls, on race day:

ASA's staggered-start guidance also notes juniors may not race 40km.

Track (ASA championship programme): U16 and U18 race up to 3000m; 5000m starts at U20, and 10000m for U20 men. Steeplechase is 1500m (U16), 2000m (U18) and 3000m (U20).

Cross country (Rule 34.1): U16 4km; U18 boys 6km, girls 4km; U20 men 8km, women 6km; seniors 10km.

Race walks: U16 5km; U18 boys 10km, girls 5km; U20 10km.

Age categories (ASA Rule 23.1, following World Athletics TR 3):

• U18: 16 or 17 on 31 December of the year of competition.
• U20: 18 or 19 on 31 December of the year of competition.
• Senior (track and field): 16 and older on 31 December.
• U16: the youngest category on the ASA championship programme.
• Road running Junior: 19 or younger on 31 December.

One category per competition (Rules 23.1.2 and 23.1.4): an athlete may not compete in more than one age category at the same competition unless there's no matching event in the category they first chose. They must declare their category at entry.

Provincial or ASA boards may approve other age groups for a specific competition's technical regulations (Rule 23.1.1).

• World Athletics rule (TR 15.1 and 16.3): in races up to and including 400m (and the first leg of the 4 x 200m, medley and 4 x 400m relays), a crouch start and starting blocks are compulsory, with the commands "On your marks" and "Set".
• ASA variation (ASA Rule 29): at club and provincial competitions, the mass-participation section of major events, and provincial, district and zone competitions of associate members (such as school and tertiary bodies), starting blocks are not compulsory. If the organiser makes them compulsory, the organiser must supply them.
• Own blocks: athletes may use their own blocks. They must meet the World Athletics specifications (rigid frame, adjustable foot plates, no movement during the start) but can otherwise be any design, as long as they don't interfere with other athletes. On synthetic tracks the organisers may insist that only their blocks are used.
• False starts: outside combined events, an athlete responsible for a false start is disqualified immediately. In combined events, one false start per race is allowed.

• Entries through the province: every athlete at an ASA championship must be authorised and entered by their provincial athletics body (ASA Rule 24.1).
• Qualified but not selected: the athlete may enter as an individual through the provincial office, competing in club colours that meet the advertising rules (Rule 24.2).
• Licences: only permanent licence holders may compete at national and inter-provincial championships; temporary licences aren't allowed (Rules 24.3 and 25.14.2).
• Withdrawals: an athlete selected for a national or provincial team who declines or fails to show may not take part in any other athletics competition within 8 days either side of that competition. The ASA or provincial board can waive this in exceptional circumstances, or extend the period (Rule 24.4).
• Unsanctioned meets: registered athletes who knowingly compete in meetings not sanctioned by ASA may be declared ineligible and lose their licence. Clubs that knowingly send athletes may be suspended (Rules 24.5-24.7).

Not in their events. Under ASA Rule 15.6, an individual may not work as a technical official at an event if they're involved as a coach for one of the participants. You must recuse yourself, or the meeting manager will remove you from that duty.