World Athletics Publishes LA28 Olympic Qualification System and Entry Standards
World Athletics has released the athletics qualification system for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, confirming tougher entry standards and a greater role for world rankings in determining who reaches the Games. Published on Tuesday, November 10, the framework sets out the qualification windows and pathways for the athletics programme, which runs from July 15–30, 2028.
Around 40% of athletes are expected to qualify through entry standards and 60% through world rankings, replacing the previous 50–50 model. The revised approach follows principles approved earlier this year, developed with input from the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission to strengthen qualification opportunities through the international competition circuit.
Faster Standards Across Track and Road Events
The marathon requirements have tightened considerably compared with Paris 2024. The men’s standard moves from 2:08:10 to 2:05:00, while the women’s changes from 2:26:50 to 2:22:20.
The men’s 1500m benchmark is now 3:30.00, compared with 3:33.50 for Paris, while women must run 3:57.50 rather than 4:02.50.
LA28 Athletics Entry Standards
| Event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 100m | 9.93 | 10.96 |
| 200m | 19.95 | 22.25 |
| 400m | 44.40 | 49.90 |
| 800m | 1:43.00 | 1:57.00 |
| 1500m | 3:30.00 | 3:57.50 |
| 5000m | 12:50.00 | 14:34.00 |
| 10,000m | 26:48.00 | 30:30.00 |
| 110m hurdles / 100m hurdles | 13.18 | 12.58 |
| 400m hurdles | 48.00 | 54.00 |
| 3000m steeplechase | 8:07.50 | 9:06.00 |
| High jump | 2.32m | 1.97m |
| Pole vault | 5.90m | 4.80m |
| Long jump | 8.30m | 6.90m |
| Triple jump | 17.35m | 14.50m |
| Shot put | 21.50m | 19.30m |
| Discus throw | 67.20m | 65.00m |
| Hammer throw | 78.50m | 74.00m |
| Javelin throw | 85.50m | 63.80m |
| Decathlon / Heptathlon | 8650 points | 6550 points |
| Marathon | 2:05:00 | 2:22:20 |
Source: World Athletics.
Qualification Windows
| Events | Qualification period |
|---|---|
| Marathon | November 1, 2026–April 30, 2028 |
| 10,000m, combined events, race walks and relays | December 19, 2026–June 18, 2028 |
| All other events | June 19, 2027–June 18, 2028 |
Achieving an entry standard will not necessarily secure a place. If the number of athletes meeting the mark exceeds an event’s quota, qualification will depend on their best performances within the window, with no places awarded through rankings in that situation.
Key Qualification Events for Relays and Race Walking
The World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas on April 22–23, 2028, will provide automatic qualification for the first 14 national Olympic committees in each relay event, with opportunities on both competition days.
For the half marathon race walks, the first 12 finishers at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Hefei, China, on April 9, 2028, will qualify automatically.
LA28 will also introduce the mixed 4x100m relay to the Olympic programme, joining the mixed 4x400m alongside 23 men’s and 23 women’s events. World Athletics plans to launch its “Road to LA” qualification tracking tool in the latter part of 2027.
