The state championships in Western Australia, NSW and Queensland are the main domestic meets of this weekend, with athletes sharpening their form ahead of the Australian Athletics Tour Final and Australian championships.

With a historically low number of athletes achieving the qualifying standards for the world championships so far this season, a number of athletes in sprints and jumps events have decided to chase what are expected to ideal conditions in Perth at their state championships. With the Australian Athletics Tour Final following a week later, it is a cost efficient, as well as athletically shrewd decision.

Amongst them is world championship bronze medalist Mitchell Watt, who last weekend at the Sydney Track Classic leapt to 8.38m. Watt is relishing the opportunity to compete in Perth, having missed last year's national championships, where Fabrice Lapierre rode a tailwind to a 8.78m performance, due to injury.

"In all honesty, I was more disappointed to miss Perth last year than the Commonwealth Games," Watt said.

"My coach thought I would have broken the Australian record if I had been in Perth."

Also making the trek West is national 100m champion Aaron Rouge-Serret, whose personal best of 10.17 seconds came on the same track last year, and 400m hurdlers Lauren Boden and Brendan Cole.

In the NSW championships the highest calibre contests are in the middle distance events, with Commonwealth Games finalist Jeremy Roff contesting his second 1500m of the season following victory on the same track last weekend at the Sydney Track Classic. Also in the field is 2006 Commonwealth Games 1500m bronze medalist Mark Fountain, reigning champion James Nipperess and former national champion Lachlan Chisholm.

The 800m will be missing national champion Lachlan Renshaw, but with James Gurr, James Kaan and Matt Hammond in the field a close race is expected. Gurr has the form on the board this year with a new personal best of 1:46.52, with Kaan (1:46.74) and Hammond (1:47.96) both also under 1:48 this domestic season.

Also competing is world champion discus thrower Dani Samuels, Ireland's Michelle Carey in the 400m, Commonwealth Games relay gold medalist Kevin Moore in the 400m, and junior sprint phenomenon Nicholas Hough in the 100m and 200m.

Inside Athletics will be providing editorial and pictorial coverage of the NSW Championships