Monaco, Aug 19 (Agency) With one year to go for the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest , the qualification system for the global showpiece has been revealed by the organisers on Friday. The Hungarian capital, which hosted the World Indoor Championships in 1989 and 2004, will welcome athletes for the World Athletics Championships taking place between August 19-27, 2023. As was the case in 2019 and 2022, athletes will be able to qualify for the World Championships by achieving an entry standard or through their placing on the world rankings. The qualification period for the marathon and 35km race walk opened on December 1 2021 and ends on 30 May 2023. For the 10,000m, 20km race walk and combined events, the window runs from January 31 2022 until 30 July 2023. For all other disciplines, the qualification period is July 31 2022 to July 30 2023. For all other events, the qualification period is 12 months i.e, July 31, 2022 to midnight July 30, 2023. Athletes can qualify for four ways- by achieving entry standards, by virtue of wold rankings position, by wold cards and by virtue of the finishing positions at designated competitions.
Defending world champions will be offered a wild card entry, as will the winners of the 2022 Diamond League, World Race Walking Tour and World Combined Events Tour, plus the leading hammer performers on the Continental Tour; all subject to selection by the athlete’s national federation. Area champions in selected disciplines and subject to certain conditions, top-five finishers at Platinum Label marathons during the qualification period and winners of Gold Label marathons held in 2023 shall also be considered as having achieved the entry standard. World Athletics said that the number of athletes in the field events has been increased from 32 to 36. The mile – both in-stadium and road mile – will now be a qualifying event for the 1500m, while performances achieved on the road in the 5km and 10km will be eligible for qualification in the 5000m and 10,000m, respectively. In addition, the top eight athletes in the world cross country rankings not otherwise qualified through other pathways will be considered qualified for the 10,000m. Each Member Federation will be allowed to participate with up to a maximum of three qualified athletes (four in case of a Wild Card) in each event.
A fourth (fifth in case of a Wild Card) qualified athlete can be entered as a reserve. Each Member Federation will be allowed to enter one qualified team in each relay event. A total of six athletes may be entered and these must include the individual athletes (up to four) entered in the respective individual event (100m and 400m). This does not apply to the Mixed 4x400m. Under 20 Athletes – aged 18 or 19 years on December 31, 2023, (i.e., born in 2004 or 2005), may compete in any event except the Marathon and 35km Race Walk. Under 18 Athletes – aged 16 or 17 years on December 31, 2023 (born in 2006 or 2007), may compete in any event except the throwing events, the Combined Events, 10,000m, Marathon and the Race Walks. Athletes younger than 16 – No athlete younger than 16 years of age on December 31, 2023 (born in 2008 or later) may be entered. In the Triple Jump a Season’s Best of at least 15.50m (men) / 12.75m (women) is required for the Technical Delegate to consider accepting an entry. However, these marks do not guarantee acceptance.