The Canberra Track Classic has been canned for 2022 but Athletics ACT has welcomed the decision, as it says other cities have to have their turn to host meets in order to grow the sport.
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Following successful consecutive years in 2019, 2020 and 2021 the event was taken off the athletics summer calendar for 2022.
Athletics ACT executive officer Edward Wilson said the organisation felt pretty good about the decision.
"I know that might come as a bit of a surprise to say but with every year the calendar does change. So for us, there's never an expectation that we have a Canberra Track Classic every year," he said.
"We do know that athletics is a big enough sport that we can't have the guarantee of posting a track classic every year and we're very comfortable with that, because naturally the sport grows when other cities and states get those opportunities."
Last year the Canberra event acted as the prime warm up for Tokyo, given the similarities in age and surface between the AIS Track and Field Centre - which was resurfaced with mondo in 2019 for $2.3 million - and Japan National Stadium - which was finished in 2019 using mondo.
Big names such as three-time Paralympian medalist Jaryd Clifford, Olympic silver medalist Nicola McDermott, Tokyo bronze medalist Kelsey-Lee Barber, sprinter Rohan Browning and 800m runner Peter Bol attended the 2021 classic.
The meet began in the early 1990s and was staged yearly until 2001. However, since then it has formed part of Athletics Australia's high performance season, which differs each year.
An Athletics Australia spokesperson said it was decided the country's three track classic meets this year would take place in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
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"This year Athletics Australia was only in a position to present three tour meets, with athletes and coaches preferencing Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane when presented the full range of possible meets," they said.
"The calendar is considered each year and depending on timings and other events taking place over the summer, the Canberra Track Classic may return in 2023 or later years.
"Athletics Australia works with Oceania Athletics and World Athletics to develop the best possible calendar for our high performance athletes, and to ensure the best presentation of meets to fans."
Canberra hosted the Festival of Athletics earlier this month and will host the Summer Down Under and the ACT state championships.
Wilson said the state meet was very unique compared to others in Australia.
"We draw athletes in from South Australia, Victoria, NSW and Queensland, and those athletes actually make up three quarters of participants," he said.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
