By Duncan Mackay

Lakeside StadiumJune 28 - Melbourne will host the Australian Trials for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after the Victorian Government confirmed that they will invest $120,000 (£73,000/€85,000) towards the hosting of the 92nd Australian Athletics Championships and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Melbourne World Challenge.


Both events are due to take place at the state-of-the-art Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne as part of the 2014 National Athletics Series, incorporating the Australian Athletics Tour.

"The Victorian Government have been long-time supporters of track and field in Australia and this new undertaking highlights their continued dedication to bringing major sporting events to the state of Victoria," said Dallas O'Brien, chief executive of Athletics Australia. 

"Lakeside Stadium is one of the best venues for athletics in the country, providing world-class facilities for athletes, officials and spectators.

"For this reason, it is the ideal location for the Melbourne World Challenge, which will again open the prestigious 15-meet IAAF World Challenge series.

"Melbourne will also host the Commonwealth Games Selection Trial to be incorporated to the 92nd Australian Athletics Championships, which is timed to assist our high performance programme by providing athletes with an opportunity to peak for not only the Games but also their selection trial earlier in the year."

The confirmation of a venue for the National Championships has also allowed for the finalisation of the 2014 National Athletics Series calendar, with world-class track and field once again descending on every state in Australia.

Sally Pearson IAAF Melbourne World Challenge 2012The IAAF Melbourne World Challenge has become the traditional international season opener, including in 2012, when Sally Pearson won the 100 metres hurdles

Launching on December 12 with the Zatopek:10 and the Australian 10,000 metres Championships in Melbourne, the Hunter Track Classic on January 18 in Newcastle sees the return of track and field in the New Year before Hobart's Briggs Athletics Classic and the Adelaide Track Classic entertain fans in February.

The Australian Athletics Tour will head to Perth on February 22, Sydney on March 15 and Melbourne on March 22, with the Sydney event being held alongside the 5th Australian Junior Athletics Championships, between March 12 and 16.

The Australian Junior Athletics Championships will for the first time incorporate events for athletes with a disability as part of Athletics Australia's commitment to the integration of able-bodied and Para-athletics.

The Queensland Track Classic in Brisbane closes out the domestic season before the 92nd Australian Athletics Championships between April 3 and 6 will see places at Glasgow 2014 up for grabs. 

"The 2014 National Athletics Series will be a very busy one, but we are pleased with the current format of the season and look forward to the pinnacle events of the Australian Athletics Tour entertaining fans across the course of a month from late February to late March," said O'Brien.

"After the success of combining the Junior Nationals and the Perth Track Classic this year the decision was made to once again do this in 2014 and we thank Athletics New South Wales for making this happen.

"It's a great way to engage the next generation with our current stars and we look forward to a big week at Sydney Olympic Park."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]