| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Governing body | Athletics Australia |
| National team(s) | Australia |
| First played | 1810, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Registered players | 14,493 (total athletes) |
National competitions | |
Audience records | |
| Single match | 112,524, 25 September 2000, Stadium Australia[1] |
Athletics is a popular sport in Australia, with around 34,000 athletes, officials and coaches currently registered with the national association.[2]
Though not as high-profile as sports such as Cricket, Rugby league or Rugby Union in Australia, athletics has produced many world sporting legends, including Edwin Flack, Betty Cuthbert, Herb Elliott, and Cathy Freeman.
Australia has hosted many important athletics competitions, including the 1956 and 2000 Olympic Games, the 1938, 1962, 1982 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 1985 World Cup in Athletics, and the 1996 World Junior Championships.
Athletics Australia is the governing body for athletics in Australia.