ABOUT US
Lake Illawarra Athletics Centre (Formally Lake Illawarra Little Athletics Centre) was established in 1971, hosting thier first full season in 1971-1972 and are currently celeberating their 55th Season of Competition in 2025-26
We are a part of the NSW Athletics Partnerships and are affiliated with both Little Athletics NSW and Athletics NSW, meaning that we are a centre for the whole family, with athletes able to register from as little as 3 year olds.
Lake Illawarra Athletics centre is a non for profit sporting organisation and as such all committee members and officials are unpaid and all money raised within our centre is put back to into the centre to purchase awards and equipment for your children. Your assistance in the conduct of events is paramount.
HISTORY
The Centre was formed in the 1971 during the 1st Season of Little Athletics in NSW, we officially began competing in Little Athletics in the 1971-1972 Season, as the 10th Centre in the state and the first centre formed in the Illawarra/south coast, Our name was originally Mid South Coast Athletics (now the Name of our Zone), before changing to Lake Illawarra Little Athletics and then Lake Illawarra Athletics Association Inc, in the early years before other centres around the area were established registration numbers were in excess of 500 athletes, Currently we have over 200 athletes registered
We are proud of all the athletes that have been registered with our centre and have the following athlete currently State Records
Belinda Ruiz – Under 7 Girls 100m Established in March 1982
Over the years we have had several athletes compete at the Australian Little Athletics Championships and even the Australian Nationals Athletics Championships events
Ryan Keen – 2018 Australian All Schools 4th Discus Under 15 Boys, 2019 Australian Junior Championships Under 15 Boys Discus
Talaya Blacksmith – 2019 SSA Nationals 1st 12 Girls Multi Class 100m and 200m (Both New Record), 3rd in the 12 Girls Multi Class Long Jump and Shot Put, 2024 Australian Paraolympic Team Member
Madison Callaway – 2019 Australian Junior Championships Under 17 Girls 5000m/w
Joshua Bingham – 2010 – 9th Multi Event and 3rd Mixed 4x100m Relay Australian Little Athletics Championships
– 2008 – 5th Triple Jump and 7th 80m Hurdles Australian Little Athletics Championships
John Tilden – 2005 – Gold Medallist 1500m Walk Australian Little Athletics Championships
Susie Seitaridis – 2011 – Gold Medallist 80m/h, Silver Medallist 800m, 5th Javelin and 9thDiscus Australian Little Athletics Championships
Olivia Rose McEwan – 2013 – 9th Multi Event and 5th Mixed Relay Australian Little Athletics Championships
Cheryl Booth, Kim Wilson, Belinda Ruiz, Mineo Bonetig, Joseph McGarry, Rosie Boyland and Drew Langdon have all also competed at either the Australian Little Athletics Championships or the Australian Schools Nationals or the Australian Track and Field Championship
Not only have our athletes shined on the track but some have gone on to bigger and better things in other Sports/Careers:
Matt Cooper (NRL Player for St George Illawarra Dragons, NSW and Australian Representative)
Kane Linnett (Rugby League – Sydney Roosters, North Queensland Cowboys, Hull)
Corey Gameiro (Soccer – Joeys (Australian Youth Soccer Team)
Mineo Bonetig (Soccer – Wollongong Wolves)
Caitlin Foord (Soccer – Sydney FC, Matildas (Australian Women Soccer Side), Little Athletics Australia Hall of Fame Inductee
Rohan Herring – Singer – Appeared on X-Factor 2013
Montanna Murray – Australian Representative World Championships Canoeing
Karra-Lee Nolan – CRL and NRL Referee
Aleisha McGarry – NSW Representative for Tenpin Bowling
Former athletes are not the only ones to appear on the national stage, we have had past Committee Members, coaches and volunteers all provide a valuable service to the sport with Howard, Carol, Joseph, Kevin McGarry and Craig Scott (former LANSW President) assisting at State and National Events.
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