Parent's Guide to Little Athletics Standard Rules Under 6-Under 17 2026/27

Registration: all competitors must be a current registered member of a Little Athletics centre in the current season.

Multi-Class (para) athletes: all events for Multi-Class athletes are conducted against a baseline standard time or distance for the athlete's classification, and placings are worked out as a percentage of that baseline.

• Athletes competing at regional and state championships should have received at least a Provisional Classification before the closing date of registration for the event.
• Athletes competing at the Australian Little Athletics Championships need a National Classification before the closing date of registration.
• Proof of classification forms part of the entry.
• Classifications available are T/F 01 (hearing impairment), T/F 11-13 (vision impairment), T/F 20-21 (intellectual impairment), T 32-54 and F 32-57 (physical impairment), T/F 60 (transplant), T/F 61-64 (physical impairment) and T 71-72 (physical impairment).

The standard rules recommend these events for the youngest ages, and events must not exceed these distances or specifications:

For the long jump the take-off area is a 0.5m x 1.22m mat placed no more than 0.5m from the landing area.

Table 1 of the 2026-2027 standard rules lists the standard events. Those marked "must offer" have to be offered by every association at its association championships. Highlights:

• Sprints and middle distance: 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m for every age group from Under 9. The 70m is for Under 9 and Under 10. The 1500m starts at Under 11.
• Hurdles: 60m (45cm) for Under 9; 60m (60cm) for Under 10; 80m (60cm) for Under 11; 80m (68cm) for Under 12. Older age groups have 80m, 90m, 100m, 200m and 300m hurdles events at heights of 68cm or 76cm. Hurdles must be the collapsible type.
• Race walk: 700m for Under 9; 1100m for Under 10 and Under 11; 1500m for Under 12 to Under 15.
• Relays: 4 x 100m for every age group. 4 x 200m and medley (Swedish) relays are available as optional events.
• Jumps: long jump (mat for Under 9 and Under 10, board for Under 11 and above); triple jump (Under 11 and above); high jump (scissors only for Under 9 and Under 10, full high jump from Under 11).
• Throws: shot put and discus from Under 9; javelin from Under 11.

Associations may add other events as long as they do not contradict the standard events tables.

Organisers provide all implements, and athletes may not bring or use any other implement. Standard weights for Under 9 to Under 15:

Girls

Boys

Under 6 to Under 8: shot put 1kg (Under 6 and Under 7) or 1.5kg (Under 8); discus 350g (Under 6 and Under 7) or 500g (Under 8); vortex 300g; and for Under 8 only, turbo javelin 300g.

Shot put colours: 1kg royal blue, 1.5kg yellow, 2kg orange, 3kg white, 4kg red.

The standard rules say these are inappropriate at all levels of competition:

• All events over 8km
• Pole vault
• Hammer throw
• Steeplechase
• Any track or field event listed as not allowed in the standard events table

Extra limits apply to the youngest ages. Under 6 and Under 7 must not be offered race walks, javelin or turbo javelin, triple jump or high jump. Under 8 must not be offered race walks over 700m, javelin, triple jump, or high jump other than scissors.

Associations may offer additional events at State Championships or any other level, as long as they do not contradict the standard events tables.

The standard rules set a maximum distance for out-of-stadia cross-country and road running at all levels of competition (able-bodied athletes):

Road race walks have their own maximums, starting at Under 9 (1.2km). No event over 8km is allowed at any level.

Appropriate footwear is compulsory in all events, and no athlete may wear football boots or cleats.

• Under 9 and Under 10: may not wear spike shoes.
• Under 11 and Under 12: may wear spikes in events run entirely in lanes, long jump, triple jump, high jump and javelin.
• Under 13 and above: may wear spikes in all track events except walks, and in long jump, triple jump, high jump and javelin.
• All spike shoes must have every hole filled with a complete set of spikes, with no more than two blanks or slugs installed.
• Spike shoes cannot be worn outside the field of play unless all spikes are suitably covered.

Spike length: on a synthetic track, 7mm maximum (9mm for long jump, triple jump, high jump and javelin). On grass, 12mm maximum for track and those same field events. The organising body advises participants of the spike type and dimensions allowed at the venue.

Starting blocks may be used by athletes in Under 11 and above for all races up to and including 400 metres, including the first leg of relays. Athletes in Under 10 and younger do not use them.

Personal starting blocks are not permitted where the venue or the organising committee provides blocks. The rule also does not apply where it contravenes a venue manager's rule on starting blocks, which must be issued in writing on an official letterhead.

• Under 9 is the starting age group for high jump at association-level competitions. Under 6 and Under 7 must not be offered high jump, and Under 8 may only do the scissors (bar or flexy rope).
• Under 8, Under 9 and Under 10: the scissor technique is the only technique allowed, at all levels of competition. A scissor jump is valid if the head does not go over the bar before the leading foot, the head is not below the buttocks when the buttocks clear the bar, and the lead foot touches the mat before any other part of the body.
• Under 11 and above: athletes may use any legal jumping technique where flop mats are provided.
• Failures: three successive failures, not necessarily at the same height, ends the athlete's competition. An athlete may skip their 2nd or 3rd jump at a height and still jump at a later height.
• Mats: scissor mats are between 150mm and 300mm high, and flop mats at least 400mm high, both at least 5m x 3m.

The standard rules (which replace the World Athletics medical rule) say:

• Inhalers: asthmatics should use their inhalers before the event if necessary and may take them to the event site. An inhaler may be carried during the event but must not be held in the hand.
• Inhaler used after the event has started: the athlete must withdraw immediately and may not return to that event.
• Further asthma attack: an athlete who returns to competition after being removed and suffers another attack is removed from that and all other events and must seek medical treatment.
• Medical Officer: on the Medical Officer's advice an athlete may be removed from an event for heat stress, an asthma attack or any other condition posing a serious risk of injury. If the Medical Officer advises further treatment is needed or that the athlete should not compete further, the athlete is withdrawn. Results up to that point remain.
• Pre-existing injury: an athlete wishing to compete with a known pre-existing injury must obtain written confirmation from a qualified medical professional that participation poses no additional risk to the athlete, other competitors or volunteers. Failure to comply may make the athlete ineligible to compete.
• Strapping, tape and braces used as preventative measures do not trigger the pre-existing injury rule.

Athletes may not possess or use music devices, mobile phones or similar devices in the competition area. This includes any device that can be used to communicate with another person.

Coaching by officials at an event is not permitted. It is not coaching, however, for an official to give factual feedback after a field trial, for example where the athlete's foot landed in relation to the long jump take-off area.

Verbal or other communication to or from someone who is not in the competition area, such as a coach, is not treated as unfair assistance. Only athletes, guide runners, assistants and officials are permitted on the field of play, and athletes must leave it after their event when directed by officials.

Under the 2026-2027 standard rules, a protest must be made by the Team Manager, in writing, on the approved protest form, within 15 minutes of the official results being posted. It is handed to the Announcer (or other designated area) with a deposit set by the host association.

• The reason is notified as either a technicality or the judges' decision.
• The outcome is "dismissed", "upheld" or "sent to Jury of Appeal".
• There is a right of appeal to the Jury of Appeal, lodged in writing within 15 minutes of the decision being notified.
• The deposit is refunded if the protest is upheld by the Referee or the Jury. It is not refunded if the protest is dismissed or the Jury deems it frivolous.
• In field events, an athlete in Under 13 or above who makes an immediate oral protest against an attempt being judged a failure may have the attempt measured and recorded, and the Referee decides the protest at the end of the round.