Just Getting Started.
Adult track and field for every body, every age, and every ambition. Your best performance for the decade you're in.
Answer a few brief questions and we'll point you toward the events where you might surprise yourself.
Shot put is an event requiring 100% explosive full-body power. Power is generated through the legs and transferred through the core, before the shot is launched with a fast and powerful arm movement. A great event to complement your heavy gym workouts!
Implement weights by age group
The discus throw is a popular event in masters track and field that is enjoyed by beginners and experienced athletes alike. Power is generated through the legs and hips and the discus is released from the front of the hand. It's so satisfying to watch the plate soar through the air when you nail the technique.
Implement weights by age group
Widely considered to be the most technical event behind the pole vault, javelin leans more towards technique than brute strength in comparison to the other throws. Javelin also uses a run up to build momentum. With a bit of practice, a good throw can feel effortless as you watch it soar off into the distance.
Implement weights by age group
In hammer and weight throw you will hurl a heavy metal ball attached to a handle by a steel wire (hammer) or a chain and clasp (weight). These events require brute strength, particularly for the weight throw, which is heavier than the shot. Significant balance and coordination are also required to use the spin technique, which is optional for masters.
Implement weights by age group
Hurdles is a highly technical sprint event. The key power and speed elements of sprints are required, while incorporating hurdling technique. It takes great skill to hurdle efficiently at speed. It's worth noting that while the hurdle height appears high for the youngest age group, the height and race distance decrease as you age up!
There's no better feeling than hitting top speed down the straight! The sprints are a test of pure speed, explosive power and sprinting form. The 100m is the blue riband event and requires all out speed. The 200m introduces bend sprinting with a more subtle build-up to top speed. The 400m is more strategic, tests your endurance and is considered one of the toughest events in track and field.
If you don't wanna stay in your lane, these might be the events for you. The middle distance events are a test of endurance with a burst of speed thrown in for good measure. These events are highly tactical, with the 1500m being especially popular for those who enjoy their parkrun and want to run some track.
Long jump is a simple enough event for anyone to try. It starts off as simple as running up and jumping into a sandpit, but like all events there is considerable technique required to refine your jump. The aim is to hit maximum speed on the runway and take off powerfully, converting horizontal speed into vertical lift.
Widely considered the most technical event in track and field, and for good reason, pole vault requires speed, upper body and core strength, flexibility and mental toughness. You can learn the basics and be clearing low bars within weeks or months, but it can take many years to learn and implement all of the key elements in a jump. Masters pole vault caters for all levels, from those looking to clear a bar with a little training to those getting upside down and soaring metres into the sky.
Triple jump is similar to long jump in that you run down a runway and jump into a sandpit. However, in triple jump you take a hop, a step and a jump on the runway before landing in the pit, which can take some practice to get the hang of if you haven't done it before. Triple jump can also be hard on your joints, so it is worth strengthening your legs and building plyometrics into your training if you plan on taking it up seriously.
High jump is considered one of the most technical events behind pole vault and javelin. It combines speed, explosive power and flexibility. Masters high jumpers may simplify their technique by using shortened run ups or alternatives to the Fosbury Flop, such as the scissors. Regardless of skill level, it is an amazing feeling clearing the bar.
Steeplechase is a middle distance race in which athletes clear obstacles in the form of barriers and a water jump as they race around the track, run over 2000m or 3000m depending on gender. It could be considered the track version of cross country. Barriers can be cleared clean or by stepping on and over. Your ability to clear the barriers a few laps into the race will definitely test your endurance if you are looking for a new challenge.
Brisbane: Come & Try Day
Come and Try Day is your no-pressure introduction to track and field. It's the perfect opportunity to try any or all events, meet current members and discover a new world of fitness, fun and your new favourite activity! You might even surprise yourself!
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QMA in South Korea for the World Championships!
A sizable contingent of Queenslanders headed off to Daegu as part of the Australian team. From August 22 to September 3, 2026 they competed across many events, including include sprints, jumps, throws, distance running, hurdling and racewalk
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The Coaching course for Masters and how we went
Who would have thought that a weekend of coaching development spent at QSAC would yield such insight into the technical aspects of a range of track and field events. But that’s exactly how it panned out in July 2026 when over 20 masters athletes and coaches joined Australian Athletics staff for the Level 2 Development Coach Course for Masters Athletes.
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Christmas in July Throws 2026
Christmas in July Throws was back for another year, over two beautiful winter days in Brisbane. Athletes from around Queensland and interstate came together to compete in this throws-exclusive competition, including the State Championship for super weight, 50lb, 100lb, and heavy weight pentathlon.
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Masters athletics isn't all about being the fastest (although there is endless opportunity to explore your potential, and some of our athletes are World Champions). It's about improvement, staying active, and competing on your own terms. We compete in five-year age groups, so you're always matched against peers at your stage of life.
Whether you're chasing a personal best, nailing a technique you've spent a decade on, or just getting off the couch, you'll find your place here.
Masters athletics uses age grading: a scoring system that converts your performance into a percentage of the world record for your exact age. It makes goal setting meaningful.
A 52-year-old running 100m in 13.2 seconds is performing at over 80% of the standard for their age. It's an outstanding achievement for a body that carries more accumulated wear and tear compared to a young professional athlete that can dedicate themselves to their sport. Age grading puts every athlete on a level playing field, and gives you a number to chase that has nothing to do with how fast you were at 22.
Example: A 45-year-old woman runs 14.0 seconds for 100m. Measured against the open standard of 10.64s that looks modest. Adjusted for her age it scores just under 80%, which is competitive at state level.
Calculate your age grade
Enter seconds, for example 13.5
Calculated from the World Masters Athletics age-graded tables, 2022 edition, using the factor for your exact age. Indicative only: an official age-graded result comes from the meet, not from here.
"My favourite events are the hammer throw and weighted throw. Honestly, I think I just enjoy throwing heavy things!"
"If you don't challenge yourself then you vegetate."
When you pull on a race bib at a QMA meet, you're competing on the same tracks that have hosted Australian Athletics Championships, international meets, and some of the fastest performances ever recorded on Australian soil. Venues include:
Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) is the state's premier athletics facility: a world-class stadium in Nathan, Brisbane. It's where Australian Olympians train, where records are broken., and where QMA members compete every season.
Gold Coast Performance Centre, Runaway Bay, is a World Athletics certified track which hosts premier Queensland Athletics events and the biennial Pan Pacific Masters Games.
Townsville Sports Precinct is North Queensland's premier sports precinct, home to the famous 'red track' World Athletics rated facilities.
See all locations →One of athletics' most dramatic events: middle-distance running combined with hurdle jumps and a water pit. It looks intense, but masters athletes compete at every level. Could this be your event?
Learn about steeplechase →