Olympic hopefuls learn qualification standards

Jamaican athletes now have a clearer picture of the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after World Athletics released its qualification system, outlining the entry standards, ranking requirements, and qualification windows for athletics competition.

The governing body has retained the dual-qualification pathway used at recent global championships, with approximately 40 per cent of places expected to be filled through the attainment of automatic entry standards and the remaining 60 per cent via world rankings.

For Jamaica’s sprint stars, the qualifying standards will once again be demanding. Men seeking qualification in the blue-riband 100 metres must run 9.93 seconds, while women will need 10.96. The standards for the 200m are 19.95 and 22.25 seconds, respectively, while athletes targeting the 400m must achieve 44.40 and 49.90 seconds.