For marathoners with Olympic dreams, the countdown to the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials just got real.
USA Track & Field (USATF) announced its new qualifying standards for the Trials, and there are some big updates that will impact everyone from seasoned pros to ambitious sub-elites.
The biggest headlines?
A faster men’s standard, the return of A and B qualification tiers, and a long-overdue switch to chip timing.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing—and what it all means if you’re hoping to race your way onto the Olympic starting line in Los Angeles.
A New (Old) System: A and B Standards Are Back
USATF is bringing back the A/B standard system last used in 2016.
It’s a two-tiered approach: the B standard gets you in the race, and the A standard adds a cherry on top, with travel and accommodation support.
The 2028 B standards are:
- Men: 2:16:00 (two minutes faster than in 2024)
- Women: 2:37:00 (unchanged from 2024)
That men’s cut is a serious shake-up.
For reference, just 65 men met that time in the 2024 qualifying window, compared to 135 women who hit 2:37:00 or faster.
USATF says it’s aiming for fields of about 200 athletes per gender, which means standards had to get tighter, especially with how fast U.S. distance running has gotten in the past few years.
The A standard times haven’t been set yet and will be decided alongside the local organizing committee. But we do know this: if you hit it, you won’t have to pay your own way to the Trials.
Chip Timing Is Now The Standard—Finally
USATF will now use chip time (net time) rather than gun time for all qualifying marks. This is huge, especially for runners who start behind the front pack in big city marathons.
It levels the playing field in a way that’s been long overdue.
Runners at the Chicago or New York City Marathons, for example, often lose time just getting across the starting line. With chip timing, that delay won’t cost anyone a shot at the Trials.
USATF says the change was driven by feedback from athletes, coaches, and agents during town hall meetings hosted by its Long Distance Running Committees, which are made up mostly of current and former athletes.
The Qualifying Window (And All the Ways In)
The marathon qualifying window opens Sept. 1, 2025 and closes 45 to 60 days before the Trials—which still don’t have an official date or location. If history’s any guide, expect a February race. That was the case in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
For the half marathon, the window opens later: Jan. 1, 2027 through the same deadline as the full.
You can qualify in more ways than just running a fast time. Here’s a snapshot:
“A” Standard Auto-Qualifiers:
- Members of the 2016, 2021, and 2024 U.S. Olympic marathon teams
- Winners of the U.S. Marathon Championships in 2025, 2026, or 2027
- Athletes on the U.S. World Championships marathon teams in 2025 or 2027
“B” Standard Alternatives:
- Top 10 at the U.S. Marathon Championships (2025 or 2026)
- Top 10 at a Platinum Label Marathon (like Boston, Berlin, Chicago, or London)
- Half marathon times of 1:03:00 (men) or 1:12:00 (women)
- Being the overall champion of the 2026 or 2027 USATF Running Circuit
- Earning an individual medal at the Olympics or World Championships within the past four years
One important technical note: to count, your race must be on a certified course (USATF, AIMS, or World Athletics), with less than 3.3 meters of elevation drop per kilometer. So significant net downhill marathon won’t cut it.
No Trials Date Yet—But Likely a February Race Again
USATF hasn’t said where or when the 2028 Trials will take place. But based on recent precedent, Atlanta in 2020 and Orlando in 2024, February seems likely. That timing helps athletes recover and prepare for the Olympic marathon, which will take place in the summer heat.
The 2024 Trials in Orlando weren’t without issues. The original noon start time led to athlete pushback due to concerns about the heat, which eventually forced a move to 10 a.m. It’s likely USATF will aim to avoid a repeat of that drama.
There’s also buzz that the Trials could land somewhere near Los Angeles, given the 2028 Olympics will be held there. But for now, that’s still TBD.
