World Athletics Announces Stricter Marathon Qualification Rules for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Key summary

World Athletics has released qualification standards for the marathon at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, reducing the entry quota from 80 to 70 athletes per gender. The qualification period runs from November 1, 2024, to April 30, 2028. While official time standards are expected in December, current benchmarks for the 2027 World Championships are set at 2:06:00 for men and 2:23:20 for women. Approximately 40% of the quota will be awarded to athletes meeting these time standards, while the remaining 60% will be allocated based on global rankings. Top five finishes in designated Platinum Label marathons (Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo) also qualify. The top 55 ranked athletes globally by March 19, 2028, are guaranteed a spot, with the final 15 seats determined by competition results. A backup rule allows National Olympic Committees to assign spots to unqualified runners who meet specific times (2:11 for men, 2:29 for women) if their original selection is unavailable. Thai runner Kirin Tantivej, who ran a personal best of 2:08:01 in Chicago on October 11, is highlighted as a potential candidate.