CricBengal.com | Sports Desk
Athletes aiming to compete in athletics at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will face tougher qualification requirements than they did at Paris 2024. World Athletics has introduced stricter entry standards across several events while increasing the expected share of athletes qualifying through world rankings.
On November 10, World Athletics published the qualification system for the LA28 athletics competition. Under the revised model, approximately 40 per cent of athletes are expected to qualify by achieving the entry standards, while the remaining 60 per cent will earn places through world rankings. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, the expected split was 50-50.
Greater Emphasis on World Rankings
The athletics programme at LA28 will feature 23 events for men, 23 for women and two mixed events. The mixed programme will include the 4x400m relay and the 4x100m mixed relay, which will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles.
Qualification will continue through two pathways: achieving the entry standard or securing a place through world rankings. However, meeting the entry standard will not automatically guarantee an Olympic place.
If more athletes achieve the required mark than the available quota allows, places will go to those with the best performances during the qualification period. In that situation, no additional athletes will qualify through world rankings.
Tougher Requirements for Marathon and Distance Events
Some of the biggest changes affect endurance events. The men’s marathon entry standard has been tightened from 2:08:10 to 2:05:00. For women, the standard has changed from 2:26:50 to 2:22:20.
The 5,000m standards have also become more demanding. Men will need to run 12:50, compared with 13:05 for Paris 2024. The women’s standard has been reduced from 14:52 to 14:34.
These changes mean athletes will need faster performances to meet the direct qualification benchmarks.
Sprint and Middle-Distance Standards Tightened
The 100m entry standards have also been raised. Men must now run 9.93 seconds, compared with 10.00 seconds for Paris 2024. The women’s standard has changed from 11.07 to 10.96 seconds.
In the 1,500m, the men’s entry standard is now 3:30.00, compared with 3:33.50 at the previous Olympics. The women’s standard has been tightened from 4:02.50 to 3:57.50.
Qualification Windows for LA28
The qualification periods will vary according to the event:
- Marathon: November 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028.
- 10,000m, combined events, race walks and relays: December 19, 2026, to June 18, 2028.
- All other events: June 19, 2027, to June 18, 2028.
World Athletics has also clarified how performances achieved during the relevant qualification periods will be considered. Results from competitions whose final day falls within the applicable window will count. Certain national senior outdoor championship results will also be eligible under specific conditions.
Athletics Competition to Run from July 15 to 30
The athletics programme at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is scheduled for July 15-30. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will host the main stadium-based track and field events, while road events will take place later in the programme.
With tougher entry standards and a greater reliance on world rankings, athletes will need consistent performances throughout the qualification cycle to secure their places at LA28. The race for Olympic selection is set to become more competitive well before the Games begin.
Source: World Athletics
Published by: CricBengal.com/BH