LA28 Olympic Marathon Standards Set at 2:05:00 for Men, 2:22:20 for Women — image accompanying Marathon Handbook's report. Image accompanying Marathon Handbook’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
World Athletics revealed the marathon standards for the LA28 Olympics. Men must run 2:05:00 and women 2:22:20 by April 30, 2028. These times are faster than the Paris Olympics standards.
The new standards are quicker than the 2024 Olympic winners. Tamirat Tola and Sifan Hassan would need to improve by 1:26 and 35 seconds, respectively. The standards are also faster than the 2025 World Championships. Read more racing coverage.
World Athletics based the standards on recent global championship performances. They also considered the expected improvement in Olympic years. A top-five finish at a Platinum Label marathon counts as meeting the standard. Related: Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifying standards set high.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
Reader questions
Questions about this report
What should runners know about LA28 Olympic Marathon Standards Set at 2:05:00 for Men, 2:22:20 for Women?
World Athletics announced the qualification times for the marathon at the LA28 Olympics. World Athletics revealed the marathon standards for the LA28 Olympics. Men must run 2:05:00 and women 2:22:20 by April 30, 2028. These times are faster than the Paris Olympics standards.
When did Runner World publish this racing brief?
Runner World published this brief on November 10, 2026. The underlying Marathon Handbook report was dated November 10, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
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