Hundreds more of the best junior athletes from Canberra's southside and Weston region hit the track on Thursday after Belconnen kids smashed records earlier this week.
On Tuesday the Belconnen regional primary schools track and field carnival saw 909 students in action, and on Thursday it was the southern suburbs of Canberra who had their turn at Woden Athletics Track.
Students from both regions of Canberra were following in the footsteps of Commonwealth Games silver-medallist Cameron Myers and former Australian 100 metres record holder Melissa Breen, and there may be future champions among this cohort too.
Belconnen regionals at the AIS Athletics Track saw multiple records broken as primary school students competed and then cheered for their classmates.
In the 13-year-old girls age group, Eilidh Dougan totalled four record-making efforts, dominating in the 200m sprint, the long jump, shot put 3kg and discus throw 1kg disciplines.
Gabura Coolwell broke the record for the 12-year-old girls multiclass shot put, and eight-year-old Ruthy Bolas-Steger set a new record in the multiclass 100m sprint.
Spencer Davey was the only student to break a record in the Belconnen regionals, with his impressive effort in the 12-year-old boys discus throw.
Records broken in the Weston and southside regionals will be confirmed on Friday by Capital Athletics.
The popular school sport events put renewed focus on the need to upgrade the capital's athletics facilities.
The events come as Capital Athletics launched talks with the ACT government and the Australian Sports Commission about upgrading the AIS and Woden facilities.
The AIS athletics track was one of the premier venues and one of the fastest surfaces in Australia after a $2 million upgrade in 2019.
Woden is the only other athletics-focused facility in the capital, but its inner field has been used for rugby league and rugby union this year after asbestos was found in the ground at Phillip Enclosed Oval.
Capital Athletics is keen to work with the governing bodies and the ACT government to invest in upgrading Canberra's two facilities.
"In partnership with our national body, Australian Athletics, Capital Athletics has commissioned a full facilities audit to assess the current and future needs of athletics in the ACT," Capital Athletics boss Adam Horner said earlier this year.
"This work will look at the current condition of athletics facilities, the pressures facing the sport, and the key initiatives required to support inclusive, safe and accessible facilities that enable athletics to grow.
"The report is due towards the end of August and will help frame Capital Athletics' future advocacy across the sport, including with government and facility owners.
"The ACT also has limited dedicated athletics infrastructure. There are only two all-weather athletics tracks: the AIS track and Woden Athletics Park.
"The AIS is not generally available to community clubs, while Woden Athletics Park is home to one of our largest clubs and is in significant demand for school carnivals, community events and broader athletics use.
"Both sites are at or nearing end of life, and Capital Athletics is continuing to work with the relevant governing bodies, including the ACT government and the Australian Sports Commission, to support the refurbishment and improved use of these facilities."
