How do you qualify to Olympics in running?

Question

I was wondering what you have to qualify for the Olympics in running. I know you have to come top 3 in your countries trials but do you also have to hit a time?..And if you hit that time does that mean you go no matter what?

Answer 1

For an American, the first step is to qualify for the Olympic Trials.  To do that, you either have to hit the American "A" standard, or the "B" standard.  The "A" runners are automatically in the Trials.  The "B" runners are let in to fill up spots in the Trials (quick aside, they want the Trials to mirror the Olympics in terms of heats and rounds, that is why some events will run an entire prelim just to eliminate one runner, they want to make sure the qualifiers can handle the right number of races).  These standards are different (slower) than the Olympic "A" and "B" standards.

Once the runner is in the Trials, they must survive any preliminary rounds and get to the finals.  Then, they must get in the top three of the finals at the Trials.

Now comes the Olympic standards.  At some point in the recent past (I think since Feb. '07 for these Olympics), you must have hit the Olympic "A" or "B" standard, with again the A being faster than the B.  The B standard allows your country to enter you, and only you.  However, if your country wants to run more than one person in that event, each runner must have hit the "A" standard.  The United States has more than three athletes with the "A" standard in every event that I know of.  Thus, if someone gets top three, but doesn't have the A standard, they will be passed over for the fastest person in the final with the standard.  I think this happened in the women's 800 this year.  

In year's past, the Trials were earlier in the year.  This meant there was still time after the Trials for runners to hit the "A" standard.  Thus, some people were finding races over in Europe to try to hit the standard and get into the Olympics.  This year, the deadline was basically the Trials, I do not know if this was just a scheduling fluke or if they decided to place the trials at the end of the period to avoid the confusion of people waiting to see if someone else will hit the standard.

I hope that made sense.

Answer 2

There is more than one standard, generally a country can send an athlete in a track or marathon event if they meet a minumum standard... if my hunch is right and there's only 2 standards, it would be the 'b' standard... but that one only applies if there's just one entrant. If a country wants to send more than one, they all have to make the "A" standard, up to 3 can qualify.

I could be wrong about the b standard, though, because I live in the US and everyone on the US team makes the A standard.

You also have to make the A standard within a set period of time (I think '08 or maybe a year prior to olympics) at an IAAF-sanctioned meet or race.

No country gets to send more than 3 athletes in any event, no matter how many make the 'A' standard. 3 is the max.

In the US olympic trials 800, a very good race, the guy that came in 3rd hadn't made the 'A' standard until that very race, if he hadn't made the standard, he wouldn't be going. Others in the race had made the A standard and won't be going.

That the olympics has standards for track and marathon is a good thing, otherwise people with no ability would make a joke out of the olympics's main event, like Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards and the Jamaican bobsled team did to the winter olympics.

If you personally are hoping to make the Olympics, you will have to at least hit the 'b' standard probably the 'A' standard. So it'll be better if you're young and have years to train and race, if you're not young there's an outside chance you could still do something in the marathon. Lynn Jennings of '80s fame started at age 42.

>edit< ok so according to blah I had it right about the b standard. From something I read today, it turns out the US is sending a 'b' standard athlete in track, in the women's 20k walk, the top two women (more masters athletes, btw) both made only the 'b' standard, so the US only gets to send one in that event.

  That's too bad about Alan Webb, he was the victim of a slow pace... That 1500 was a crawler, won in 3:41 (or worse, I don't quite remember). The other kid superstar Galen Rupp made it in the 10k though.

Answer 3

Catch it for more details http://www.olympicgamesbeijingin2008.com...

Answer 4

In order for athletes to take part in the Olympic Games, they must first compete in their national Qualifying Trials. These competitions usually take place in the last few months leading up to the Summer Games themselves. For example, the 2008 US trials for track and field events are held between June 27th and July 6th in Eugene, Oregon.

In order for a country to enter the maximum of three athletes for each event, they must each have met the 'A' qualifying standard. If none has met the A standard, they may enter one athlete who has met the lower 'B' qualifying standard. 1 relay team per event may also be entered.

These standards must be met at events formally recognized by the IAAF. For the China Olympics, the official qualifying period is between January 1, 2007 and July 23, 2008 (except for the marathon, whose qualifying period began on September 1, 2006.

Slightly different rules apply to the relay events: a maximum of 16 teams per event will qualify based on the aggregate of the two fastest times achieved at IAAF events between January 1, 2007 and July 16, 2008.