Age groups for competition

From 1 April 2026, the age groups in which young athletes compete under UKA rules changed from U13, U15, U17 and U20, to U14, U16, U18 and U20. These changes were grounded in a desire to support athletes with their progression through the sport, to help grow participant numbers and to retain more young participants in the sport.

Sitting outside of the formal rules of competition, primary school-aged athletes are encouraged to compete in U10 and U12 age groups in competitions that will utilise multi-event based run, jump, and throw formats, such as funetics multi-challenge.

Read the UKA 2026 Rules for Competition*

*See pages 97-111 for rules relating to age groups for competition

Key information for off-track changes Download changes quick reference guide (PDF 2MB)

In July 2025, the UKA Board unanimously approved the recommendations in a paper from the Rules Advisory Group in relation to changes in the UKA Rules for Competition relating to competition age groups that came into effect on 1 April 2026.

Date of birth	Age group in 2026/27 (from October 2026)	School Year in 2026/27 competition year*
September 2017 - August 2018	U10	Year 4
September 2016 - August 2017	U12	Year 5
September 2015 - August 2016	U12	Year 6
September 2014 - August 2015	U14	Year 7
September 2013 - August 2014	U14	Year 8
September 2012 - August 2013	U16	Year 9
September 2011 - August 2012	U16	Year 10
September 2010 - August 2011	U18	Year 11
September 2009 - August 2010	U18	Year 12
September 2008 - August 2009	U20	Year 13
January - December 2008		Year 14
January - December 2007

*Although aligned to School Years with a cut-off date of 31 August, the UKA age category is determined by the athlete's date of birth, therefore an athlete who is in a different school year group
to their peers will compete according to their date of birth and not their School Year group.