McDonald’s Achievement Levels

At Strathpine Little Athletics, we celebrate effort, consistency, and personal improvement. The McDonald’s Achievement Award system, created by Little Athletics Queensland, helps athletes track their progress across a variety of events.

What Are the McDonald’s Achievement Levels?

Achievement levels are based on the average performances of Little Athletes across Queensland and are reviewed every three years to stay fair and relevant.

Each level represents a different standard of performance:

🟩 Green Level – A solid level that all athletes can achieve with regular effort.

🔴 Red Level – A very good performance, usually achieved by around 65% of athletes.

🔵 Blue Level – An excellent performance, typically reached by the top 20%.

🟡 Gold Level – A bonus challenge for athletes and centres who want to aim even higher. This level is optional and not required for award eligibility.

Achievement Cards

All athletes receive a McDonald’s Achievement Card:

Pink for girls
Blue for boys

These cards list the Green, Red, and Blue performance targets for every event in your age group.

How to Earn an Achievement Certificate

To earn a McDonald’s Achievement Certificate, athletes must achieve the same level (Green, Red, or Blue) across three event groups.

Example (U13 Athlete – Green Certificate):

To earn a Green certificate, the athlete must meet or exceed the Green level in three event groups, such as:

Hurdles: 60m Hurdles & 200m Hurdles
Sprints: 70m, 100m, 200m
Throws: Discus, Javelin, Shot Put

What’s an Event Group?

Event groups include events in similar categories such as:

Sprints (70m, 100m, 200m)
Hurdles (60m, 80m, 200m)
Throws (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin)
Jumps (Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump)
Distance (400m, 800m, 1500m – varies by age)

How Many Event Groups Are Needed?

U6 & U7 - 2 event groups

U8 - 3 event groups

U9 – U17 - 3 event groups

Any combination of event groups can be used to qualify for a certificate – as long as the athlete reaches the same level in each of them.

Encouraging Growth, Not Just Gold

While the Gold Level is a fun and challenging goal for some, the focus remains on achieving personal bests and consistent performance at the Green, Red, or Blue levels.

The maximum number of certificates an athlete can receive each season is three: one Green level, one Red level and one Blue level.