Latest update on the Age Group change implementation process

As part of the second phase of the age group change implementation process, England Athletics, on behalf of the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs), recently hosted a webinar for competition providers designed to offer a further chance to ask questions, provide feedback and clarify the content of the transition information published in September.

The session, which took place on Wednesday 6 November included the key principles agreed by the Age Group Change Task Group and the technical information proposed by the technical and off track sub groups.

More than 20 competition providers attended the session, where key points of discussion included:

• The maximum number of events athletes in each age group will be permitted to participate in per meeting.
• The inclusion of younger age groups within the rules of the sport.
• The weights and types of throwing implements for younger athletes.
• The need for shorter format race walks.
• The inclusion of U18s and U20s in the same races.
• The importance of engagement with existing advisory groups, especially the UKA Rules Advisory Group.

Dean Hardman, Project Co-ordinator, explains:

"The webinar provided another important opportunity to engage with competition providers ahead of the implementation of the new age group rules in April 2026. Following the earlier publication of guiding principles and technical information, this is a key period of listening, so that we can ensure that competition providers are well-supported to implement the changes and that any potential gaps in provision can be identified.

"Members of the Technical Advisory Group have fed in to our work to date and it has always been our intention to move forward with further engagement with that group and the Rules Advisory Group from January 2025 onwards. The recent webinar reinforced the need to follow that approach.

"Likewise, we continue to be encouraged by the response to our numerous mechanisms for feedback. Our current focus is on competition providers and I would like to remind people of the upcoming opportunities currently available to submit feedback."

Opportunities to feedback

We invite competition providers in particular to submit their feedback via our live survey. The deadline for completion of the survey is 30 November.