Arena to host 400 athletes for country championships

The Bunbury Regional Athletics Arena will play host to about 400 country athletes from across the State in January. Athletics West confirmed on Monday, Bunbury is set to host the 2021 West Australian State Country Championships. The event will be the first major meet on the track after it is resurfaced later this year. The championships will be run in a partnership between the Bunbury and Districts Little Athletics Centre and Athletics West, the governing body of the sport in the State. “We hope this event will inspire more athletes to participate in athletics and enjoy the many benefits the sport has to offer while having fun doing it,” BDLAC chairman Paul Lever said. “We are proud to host the event in Bunbury and highlight the outstanding facilities the region has to offer.” The event could also provide a tourist boost to the region with athletes, families and spectators heading to Bunbury from across WA. Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan said he was pleased to see another event heading to the region. “The city’s facilities provide the perfect setting for such an event, and the influx of visitors through athletes, organisers, support staff and fans will be both an economic and a social boon for Bunbury,” Mr Brennan said. “It is wonderful to see another elite sporting event coming to Bunbury as part of the city’s partnership with Sports Marketing Australia.” Athletics West chief executive Vince Del Prete said it was a fantastic opportunity for athletes across WA to experience competing at State level on a recently resurfaced synthetic track. Last year’s event was held at Gloucester Park in Margaret River. The championships will run for three days from January 15 to 17 next year.