World Athletics has confirmed the updated and revised qualification process around next summer’s Tokyo Olympics, postponed from this July into 2021 because of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.
After the reopening of its headquarters in Monaco this week, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe also announced a new strategic plan to drive growth in the aftermath of the pandemic, particularly as it impacts on athletes returning to training and competition.
The 2020 Summer Games were set to open on July 24th, followed by the Paralympics on August 25th; instead, the Games will begin on July 23rd, 2021.
As previously agreed, the main Tokyo qualification principles remain unchanged: qualification through entry standards (which also remain unchanged) and then world rankings. Athletes who have already met the entry standard since the start of the qualification period in 2019 remain qualified, with other athletes to qualify within the extended qualification period.
There also remains a suspended qualification period for all events from April 5th until November 30th 2020.
For the marathon and 50km race walk, the entry standards period is January 1st 2019 to April 5th 2020, and December 1st 2020 to May 31st 2021 (21 months); the world rankings period is from December 1st 2018 to April 5th 2020, and December 1st 2020 to May 31st 2021 (22 months).
For the 10,000m, 20km race walk, combined events, and relays, the entry standards period is from January 1st 2019 to April 5th 2020, and December 1st 2020 to June 29th 2021 (22 months), and the world rankings period is January 1st 2019 to April 5th 2020, and December 1st 2020 to June 29th 2021 (22 months).
For all other events, the entry standards period is May 1st 2019 to April 5th 2020, and December 1st 2020 to June 29th 2021 (18 months); and the world rankings period is June 30th 2019 to April 5th 2020, and December 1st 2020 to June 29th 2021 (16 months).
Marathon automatic qualifiers will also come: The top-10 finishers in the men’s marathon and in the women’s marathon at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019; The top-five finishers at the World Athletics Gold Label marathons and the top-10 finishers at the Marathon Major Series (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York) held during the qualification period from January 1st 2019 to April 5th 2020; The top 10 finishers at the Platinum Label marathons and the winners of the Gold Label marathons held during the period from December 1st 2020 to May 31st 2021.
Relay teams automatic qualifiers: The top eight placed NOCs at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021, if not already qualified from Doha 2019, shall automatically qualify for the relay events at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Age requirements have been adapted to reflect the new dates: Senior athletes born in 2001 or earlier; Junior (U20) athletes born in 2002 or 2003; Youth (U18) athletes born in 2004 and 2005.
