RECORDS CRITERIA

CRITERIA FOR AUSTRALIAN RECORDS AND RANKING - OPEN AND AGE GROUP

For records achieved from 1 January 2006 onward a record application form must be submitted.

As of the 31 December 2014 the list of Australian Open and Age group records are deemed frozen unless a submission is received, which if proven, warrants the removal or amendment of any record due to error or otherwise.

From 1 January 2015, a record can be superseded if an athlete performs a faster time or longer distance on a track/road surface.

Current Open and Age group records for all track/road surfaces will be located on the AURA website.

No performance shall be considered as an Australian open or Age group record until it has been ratified by AURA.

Records can be claimed for each age category in distance races or timed races as outlined in the table below:

Records Application

• The onus is on the athlete to apply for all records.
• Athletes must be an AURA financial member, prior to a records application being submitted.
• Records are not automatically awarded until they have been applied for along with relevant documentation (Passport and/or Birth Certificate), then reviewed and ratified by AURA.
• Record Application form is available on the AURA website under the following link attached at top of page.
• Email the completed form along with a copy of Passport and/or Birth Certificate to the AURA records officer: records@aura.asn.au
• The Race Director will complete the Race Directors Documentation and will submit this directly to the AURA Records Officer together will relevant supporting documentation. The onus is on the Athlete to ensure the Race Director submits the documentation on their behalf to the Records Officer.

Citizenship

• All applicants applying for an Australian Open and/or Age group record must be an Australian Citizen.
• Athletes must be an AURA financial member.
• An athlete must provide proof of date of birth and citizenship (e.g. birth certificate, passport).
• Where an athlete holds dual citizenship and wishes to claim for an Australian record they must NOT have applied and/or claimed for the same record or any record from the same race with any other country federation other than Australia. 
• AURA does not permit dual citizen members applying for an Australian record, to hold any timed or distance record achieved from the same race in any other country.
• If an athlete chooses to Represent another country other than Australia at any race or championship in any country or federation, they will be required to wait 3 years before they are eligible to claim any Australian records. This is in line with World Athletics Policy C3.2. (Refer to Records Criteria policy document)

Anti-doping Requirements

IAU have recently updated their World Record Guidelines (September 19th, 2021). IAU World Records Guidelines, which include updates to the antidoping test requirements.

As of 1 January 2022, antidoping tests are required for the following records:

• WR: 50km, 100km
• IAU WR: 50mile, 100mile, 6h, 12hr, 24hr, 48hr

IAU CBP (Continental Best Performances) Oceania are for the following distances. Note that antidoping tests are required to be back dated to 1 January 2019.

• 50km
• 100km
• 24hr

Any athlete/s attempting to break an Open World Record and/or Open Continental Record, they are required to undergo drug testing either:

• Immediately after the race.
• Within 24 hours immediately following the finish of their race.

Any athlete attempting to achieve an IAU World Age Best Performance (WABP) Record and/or Australian Age Group Record, there is no drug testing required.

The cost of the drug testing is at the expense of the athlete. This requirement is in line with WADA Policy.

Recognition Requirements:

1.   For Intermediate distance and time records the following apply:

• Fixed Distance (50km, 100km etc) - intermediate distances will only be recognised if the athlete completes the full fixed distance.
• Fixed Time (6hr, 12hr etc) - the athlete can set an intermediate distance or time without having to complete the full fixed time race.

2.    As per the new IAU guidelines  issued on the 8th of September 2022,

• A minimum of THREE runners of the same gender need to participate “in good faith” in a race to make it official in order to claim any record. This guideline is applicable towards World Records, Continental Records, World Age Group Records and all Australian Records. Note only one runner is required in an Age Group. (e.g. Sarah is attempting a W35 record. She needs to have at least three female athletes in the race but there only needs to be one female in the W35 age group. John is attempting to break a M50 record; he needs to have at least three males in the race but only one in his M50 age category).  Any athlete cannot be seen to run just a few km’s and retire to manipulate this guideline.

 3.    Multiday races: age of the athlete at the start of the race is the age considered for any Age Group record.

Certification

• Road Races: Road courses must be measured and certified by an accredited IAAF-Grade A or B AIMS measurer using the calibrated bicycle method. The certificate should be made available to AURA together with a map drawn up by the course measurer. This certificate is valid for 5 years.
• Track races: Tracks must have a Class 1/2 athletics facility certificate issued by the IAAF in accordance with the IAAF Rule 140 and be included in the IAAF Certified Athletics Facilities list. This certificate which gives information about the track length and date of measurement must be made available to AURA and is valid for 5 years.

Races

• Races in Australia must be sanctioned by AURA and have an IAU label to be eligible for Australian records. Races internationally must be sanctioned by their Federation and must also have an IAU label.
• A road race must not decline in elevation of more than 1metre per kilometre for the full length of the course. The course map should not be designed that a tail wind may advantage athlete’s times.
• A straight-line distance between the start and finish point of the race must be less than 50% of the total course length.

Timing

• Road and track races must have a timing system that has been operational for at least two years.
• The timing system must be backed up by either (i) a manual system (i.e. stop-watch) or (ii) second automatic system. This is necessary should the primary system fail. 
• A race referee must be on site for the duration of the event.
• For 6 day races, the timekeeper is to remain on site for the duration of the event.
• A redundancy mat must be used (to eliminate any potential for course short-cutting).