Coles and Little Athletics Australia ambassadors are visiting grassroots Little Athletics Centres across the country to inspire future Australian athletes.

A record 344 centres are taking part in this year’s Coles Community Round between 4 and 17 November. The annual round is a celebration of Coles’ nine-year partnership with Little Athletics, which includes banana donations, equipment grants and connecting little athletes with their sporting heroes.

The ambassador appearances come less than three months since former little athletes dominated the 2026 Commonwealth Games, picking up 25 of Australia’s 34 medals. 

In addition to sharing training tips and encouraging healthy eating, the Coles and Little Athletics ambassadors are also helping present new equipment to successful centres from the latest round of Coles Little Athletics Community Fund grants, which last month surpassed $3 million in funding.

Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Barber is making her first appearance after giving birth less than eight months ago. Now back in training with her sights set firmly on a fourth Olympic Games, Ms Barber is looking forward to visiting local centres in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

“I’m so excited to meet the future of Australian athletics, and hopefully inspire them to dream big, have a go and discover what they love about our sport,” she says.

“That’s why Coles Community Round is so important. It brings elite athletes to local communities, where a little encouragement can mean so much. It’s a chance to celebrate having fun, healthy eating and trying something new. If sharing my experiences helps a child feel more confident to pursue athletics, that’s something really special.”

Coles Little Athletics CEO Myles Forman says the record participation and ambassador visits in this year’s Coles Community Round highlights the importance of Coles’ ongoing support for grassroots athletics.

“Coles Community Round brings the partnership between Coles and Little Athletics to life. It connects little athletes with sporting heroes and local clubs and centres with Coles stores and team members – all helping inspire children to get active,” he says.

“Since 2017, Coles has donated seven million bananas and awarded $3 million in sports equipment grants. That support helps children build confidence and friendships and backs the families and volunteers who keep Little Athletics running.”