Little Athletics Queensland (LAQ) Carnivals

LAQ conducts the following representative carnivals. Please check our events calendar or LAQ website for carnival dates, nomination deadlines and downloadable nomination forms.

Regional Championships: Under 7 to Under 17
This competition is for individual athletes registered in the under 7 to under 17 age groups.  Athletes may nominate in their favourite events (maximum of 5 events) competing against athletes from centres in our Region.  Athletes finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th, in the under 9 - 17 age group are automatically eligible to compete at State Championships Athletes compete against athletes in other Sunshine Coast Region Centres, which are Caloundra, Maleny, Maroochy, Nambour, South Burnett, Glasshouse Mountains,  Noosa , Gympie, University, Caboolture and Deception Bay.
Our Centre encourages all athletes to nominate and compete against other children within the Region.

Placing in the first three at Regionals in the Under 9 to Under 17 age groups entitles the athlete to compete at the LAQ State Championships, they will also receive medals on the day.

Under 7 and 8 athletes compete at this level and no further. They do however receive Participation medals on the day.

State Championships: Under 9 to Under 17
Athletes qualifying for State championships compete against athletes from all Regions in the state with the first three placegetters receiving medals.  Athletes in the under 13 and under 15 age group are eligible for state team selection.

Regional Relays: Under 7 - Under 17
The Centre will select teams for both track and field events to compete against other Centres from our Region.  This is an exciting day with all Centres striving to win the Regional Shield.  Teams for track events have 4 members while field teams have 2 members. At Regional Relays each athlete competes in his/her field event they have nominated for.  If three athletes have been nominated from one centre for an event, the two athletes from that centre with the highest jump/throw is added together to gain a placing.  Track athletes nominate and compete as a team of four.

If the team is placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd they may nominate for State Relays. 
Under 7 and 8 athletes compete at this level and no further.

State Relays: Under 9 to Under 17
Teams finishing in 1st, 2nd, 3rd place at Regional Relays qualify to compete in the State Relay Championships against Centres from all over Queensland.  This is one of the LAQ’s most exciting meetings.
Under 7 and under 8 age group do not compete at State Relays.

Competition, Date, Location, (Nominations close)
LAQ Coles Spring Carnival 19 September 2026, Bundaberg (closing 8th September)
LAQ Coles Summer Series #1 24 October 2026, State Athletics Facility (Nathan), (12 October 2026)
LAQ Hart SE Regional Relays 8 November 2026, State Athletics Facility (Nathan), (26 October 2026)
LAQ Coles Summer Series #2 28 November 2026, Runaway Bay, (16 November 2026)
LAQ McDonalds State Relays 12 December 2026, State Athletics Facility (Nathan), (TBA)
McDonalds Combined Event Championships 30 / 31 January 2027, State Athletics Facility (Nathan), (TBA)
LAQ Hart SE Regional Championships 06/07 Febuary 2027, State Athletics Facility (Nathan), (TBA)
McDonalds State Championships 19, 20, 21 March 2027, Townsville, (TBA)