Mackay Athletics Club to host Summer Series event for regional athletes to gain competitive fitness
In a bid to keep its athletes in pristine condition, Mackay Athletics Club will host a first-ever event in the region.
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Budding track and field athletes in Mackay will have unusual access to competition in their own backyards this summer.
While Mackay Athletics Club usually shuts down from November to February, instead the region will host the first Summer Series.
Mackay Athletics Club president James Grech said it was a great chance for the region’s athletes to keep their “competitive fitness” up without having to travel to southeast Queensland.
“Traditionally our season finishes around October and comes back in late February and that’s purely weatherwise, it’s just too hot,” he said.
“We normally have a fairly long pause on action up here, but everywhere south of Gladstone has athletic events running through a summer season.”
The lack of competition in Mackay for four to five months makes it difficult for athletes to remain fit without travelling for competition.
Grech said he was excited to host other regional cities in Mackay at the ARC.
“With the new facilities at the ARC it’ll be a great site for us to host the Summer Series,” he said.
“We’ve never had anything in regional areas for athletes to attend and maintain competition fitness, so we’re really quite excited about it.
“We’re trying to get other facilities involved, we’ve got an athlete coming down from Townsville in November to compete so hopefully we can get some more registered and put on a show.”
The Summer Series will include children as young as five competing in track and field events, with athletes separated in age groups.
“The event is really about opportunity,” Grech said.
“Everyone has an opportunity to come down, try their hand at different events and compete if they want to.
“We’ll get some serious athletes, but also some people trying out for the first time.”
The Summer Series events will run on November 20, January 22 and February 12.
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