Athletics Northern Ireland selects athletes to squads, camps and teams to prepare for and compete at the Commonwealth Games and other international competitions.
Athletics Northern Ireland collaborate with the other home countries (England, Scotland and Wales) to select athletes for the GB & NI World University Games team.
The overall aim of selection is to maximise the opportunity to gain medals at the Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Olympics and Paralympics and to create sustainable success by using these and other recognised competitions to develop and prepare athletes for future international success.
Each competition serves a different purpose to Athletics Northern Ireland and the selection process and criteria for each is tailored to deliver this purpose.
|
Track and Field |
|
|
Commonwealth Games |
Purpose: Measures the level of performance of our athletes and programme; provide development opportunities to selected athletes
Women – 100m, T35 100m, T38 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, T54 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, 3000m Steeplechase, 20km Race Walk, Marathon, T54 Marathon, 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 4 X 100m Relay, 4 X 400m Relay, Heptathlon, Pole Vault Javelin Throw, F46 Javelin Throw, High Jump, Long Jump, T38 Long Jump, Triple Jump, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, Shot Put Team: Allocated by Commonwealth Games Council TBC |
|
Commonwealth Youth Games |
Purpose: Measures the level of performance of our athletes and the talent segment of the programme; competition, development & assessment experience Target: a medal Age Class: U18. Athletes must be born in 2000 or 2001. Disciplines: Men’s: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m 1500m, 3000m, 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin; Women’s: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m 1500m, 3000m, 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin; Mixed Relays: 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400 Team: Four athletes Places per event: Two men’s & Two women’s; Two men’s & two women’s per relay event. |
|
World University Games (Every two years 2017, 2019) |
Purpose: Measures the level of performance of our athletes at the U23 segment of the programme; competition, development & assessment experience Age class: More than 18 and less than 25 years of age on 31 December of the year of the event. Eligibility: Students who are currently officially registered as proceeding towards a degree or diploma at a university or similar institute whose status Is recognised by the appropriate national academic authority; former students of recognised institutions who have obtained their academic degree/diploma in the year preceding the event. Disciplines: Men: Individual track / road: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m,10000m, 3000m steeplechase, 20km walk, half marathon individual and team classification. 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles Relays: 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m Field events: High jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot-put, discus, hammer and javelin Combined events: Decathlon Women: Individual track / road:100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m,10,000m, 3000m steeplechase, 20km walk, half marathon individual and team classification. 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles Relays: 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m Field events: High jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot-put, discus, hammer and javelin Combined events: Heptathlon. Team: A maximum of 25 athletes may be selected to the Team. Places per event - The maximum number of athletes per event is as follows: 10,000m – 3 per event; Half-marathon and 20km race-walk – 5 per event; All other events – 2 per event |
|
Senior Manchester International |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Team: max 1 man & 1 woman per race for individual events; max 1 men’s & 1 women’s team for relays |
|
U20 & Senior Home Countries Combined Events Championships |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes in combined events Target: None Age Class: U20 & Senior Disciplines: Team: |
|
U20 Welsh Athletics International |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: U20 Disciplines: Men – 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 4 X 100m Relay, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, Javelin, Discus. Women - 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 4 X 100m Relay, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, Javelin, Hammer. |
|
U15 & U17 England Athletics Championships |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: U15 & U17 Disciplines: U17 men – 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 80m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 1500m Steeplechase, 5000m Walk, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot, Discus, Hammer, Javelin; U17 Women - 100m, 200m, 300m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 100m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 1500m Steeplechase, 5000m Walk, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot, Discus, Hammer, Javelin; U15 Men - 100m, 200m, 300m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 100m Hurdles, 3000m Walk, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot, Discus, Hammer, Javelin; U15 Women - 100m, 200m, 300m, 800m, 1500m, 75m Hurdles,3000m Walk, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot, Discus, Hammer, Javelin. Places per event: Max 1 man & 1 woman per age class. Team size: Max 20 athletes |
|
EAP Circuit meetings |
Purpose: to support competitive athletes to bridge the gap from junior to senior international competition. Target: None Age Class: Youth/Junior/Senior depending on meet Events: Sicilia International; Malta International, Palafrugell International; Leira International Youth Meeting, Budapest Open; Geneva Memoria Georges Callat; Nivelles International Lotto Meet; Biella International; Celle Ligure International; Loughborough LEAP; Hexham Combined Events Disciplines: various depending upon meeting |
|
Cross Country |
|
|
World Athletics Northern Ireland International Cross Country |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: Senior & U20 Distance: men – 9km; women – 5.5km; junior men – 5.5km; junior women – 3.6k Team: Max 4 men, 4 women. 4 junior men, 4 junior women |
|
Cardiff Cross Challenge |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: Senior, U20, U17 Distance: Men - 9,600m; Women – 6,400m; U20 men – 6,400m; U17/20 Women – 4,450m; U17 men – 5,560m Team: N/A |
|
UK Intercounties Cross Country |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: Senior, U20, U17 Distance: Men – 10000m; Women – 8000m; U20 men ~8000m; U20 Women ~6000m; U17 men ~6km; U17 women ~5km Team: Max 8 men & 8 women per age class |
|
Road |
|
|
Senior Armagh International Road Race |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: Senior Distance: Men – 5km; Women – 3km Team: 4 men & 4 women |
|
Antrim Coast Half Marathon |
Purpose: Competition experience, development & assessment of athletes Target: None Age Class: Senior Distance: Men – Half Marathon; Women – Half Marathon Team: 4 men & 4 women |
For all athletes interested in competing for Ulster & Northern Ireland, information about competitions and selection opportunities as well as coaching/training camps will be published on the Athletics Northern Ireland website.
Athletics is made up of Track & Field, Cross Country, Road Running and Mountain Running. To be selected athletes will have demonstrated proficiency in specific disciplines or will be selected in order to gain experience in a specific discipline. An athlete may be selected for more than one event if the competition timetable allows.
The team coach will discuss with each athlete, shortly after selection, their training and racing plans leading into the competition and these must be agreed and adhered to. Athletes will be selected to relay teams at the time of selection with any changes at the discretion of the Team Coach. Selected teams may include athletes not selected to compete in the individual disciplines at a competition. Changes to relay teams may take place prior to a competition or at a competition.
The Head Coach at a competition has a duty of care to the athletes and may, in the best interests of the athlete, withdraw athletes from disciplines or races prior to or during an event. Other athletes at the event may be substituted if the Head Coach believes this to be appropriate.
All selections will be discretionary and based on the judgement of the Athletics Northern Ireland selection panel. The Chair of the panel may seek additional expert guidance from specific coaches, technical experts or programme medics if appropriate. Any person involved in providing advice or guidance during the selection process must declare any conflict of interest.
The selection panel will take full account of the selection criteria. In general, the criteria is listed in order of priority and the Selectors will exercise discretion fairly and without bias in making selection decisions.
Athletes will be required to agree their preparation programme with the Head Coach. This stipulation is not to ‘interfere’ with athletes’ preparation but to ensure athletes are supported and challenged in optimising their preparation.
Selected athletes and athletes selected onto programmes may be required to undergo physiological and/or medical assessment. This will be to monitor development and confirm fitness following injury, illness, any other period where the athlete has been prevented from training and/or competing normally or a period of marked underperformance.
Athletics Northern Ireland reserves the right de-select any athlete who does not fulfil the necessary fitness, medical, or performance standards; or who does not agree and then follow their agreed preparation programme or meet the standards of behaviour expected.
To be eligible to be selected into the team to participate in a competition, each athlete will need to meet the eligibility requirements specified which include holding a valid British passport and/or Irish passport.
All selected athletes must comply with the UK Anti-Doping Rules as published by UK Anti-Doping Limited (or its successor). www.ukad.org.uk/documents/uk-anti-doping-rules/
If clarification of any specific selection issue is required, please contact Talent Lead Tom Reynolds at tom@athleticsni.org
Athletics Northern Ireland operates a formal appeals procedure for challenging selection decisions of major championships. Each competition’s selection policy will outline any appeals process.