With 15 athletes having achieved Tokyo 2020 qualifying results, the selected athletes include nine debutants, four named to their second Games, and Genevieve Gregson and Dani Stevens making a third and fourth Olympic Team respectively. 

The selections come off the back of an outstanding summer of athletics, with the 15 athletes featuring national record-holders Nina Kennedy, Catriona Bisset, Linden Hall, Ash Moloney, Dani Stevens, Genevieve Gregson, Brooke Stratton and high jumper Nicola McDermott, who became the first Australian woman to clear 2 metres just hours before her official selection to Tokyo. 

McDermott soared past the bar to surpass Eleanor Patterson’s mark of 1.99, improving on her opening season jump of 1.96. 

Jye Edwards produced the run of his life in the final of the 1500m, toppling favourite Stewart McSweyn in a breakthrough performance. McSweyn was forced to do a mountain of work in front before Edwards stole the show on the home straight to stop the clock in 3:33.99. 

His time was not only an Olympic qualifier, but a PB and National title winner, giving him automatic Olympic selection under the Athletics Australia nomination criteria.

 
Liz Clay continued her unbeaten run this season in the 100m Hurdles to secure her maiden national title and move one step closer to her Olympic dream. Clay clocked 12.97 on her way to victory, while Catriona Bisset stormed home to win the 800m national title, crossing the line in 2:00.45. 

The women’s 200m final also saw Riley Day tear away from the field over the final stretch to secure her Olympic nomination. 

Discus thrower Dani Stevens launched the discus 62.74m to secure her 14th national title, with the 2009 world champion set to become a four-time Olympian. 

Genevieve Gregson cemented her ticket to a third Olympic Games, having won the 3000m steeplechase title in a strong performance. Gregson has dabbled in various events over the last 18 months, also claiming bronze in the 1500m, but relished being back competing in her pet event. Gregson’s finishing time of 9:36.85 provides a solid foundation for the Australian champion to build from.  

Brooke Stratton also locked away an Olympic qualifier of 6.84m in the long jump and in the process won the event, ensuring automatic nomination for the Tokyo Games. Stratton has endured a long road back through injury and is chasing her career-best form of 7.05m from 2016. 

Decathlete Ash Moloney claimed the top of the podium, scoring a total of 8284 and winning six of the ten decathlon events ahead of Rio 2016 Olympian, Cedric Dubler. Both athletes are set to represent Australia at Tokyo 2020. 

After locking away two Olympic qualifiers this season, Linden Hall held off a classy field in the women's 1500m to secure an automatic nomination to the Australian Olympic Team, while Rohan Browning will become the first Australian man to run the 100 m at an Olympics since Athens 2004, after stopping the clock at 10.09 (04) in chilly conditions. 

In the women's event Hana Basic tore down the straight in 11.23 (0.5) to equal the meet record held by Sally Pearson, while pole vaulter Nina Kennedy secured her Olympic berth clearing 4.75m to become the 2021 Australian Champion.

Lauren Boden took out the 400m hurdles, her 13th national title as she continues her hunt for qualification and it was a 21st birthday celebration like no other for Bendere Oboya as she crossed the finish line in the women's 400m to secure her ticket to Tokyo.

After cruising into the final, Oboya proved she near unbeatable on home soil, clocking 52.20 to win the national title and 26 out of her last 27 domestic races. 

At the conclusion of the championships, Australian track and field stars were honored at the Athletics Australia Awards Gala dinner.

Jessica Hull received the Marjorie Jackson Award for Female Able-bodied Athlete of the Year, after becoming the first Australian to hold the 1500m, 3000m and 5000m records simultaneously, while Stewart McSweyn won the John Landy Award for Male Able-bodied Athlete of the Year for achieving a similar feat – breaking the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m records in 2020.

The Betty Cuthbert Award, for the best single performance at the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships went to Nicola McDermott for becoming the first Australian female to clear two metres in the high jump, while the Bruce McAvaney Award for the Performance of the Year went to Queensland decathlete Ashley Moloney, who at just 21-years-old broke the Oceania record for the decathlon at the Queensland Combined Event Championships in December.

Also honoured during the night were the four newest inductees to the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame; trailblazers for Australian race walking Olympians Simon Baker OAM and Nathan Deakes, as well as three-time Olympic high jumper Tim Forsyth and Olympic sprinter David Lean.

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