The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials are usually straightforward, but the process is confusing for the men this year, including third placer Leonard Korir.
The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials are usually straightforward—the top three women and men finishers constitute the U.S. team for that summer’s Olympic Marathon.By now, you’ve probably heard that wasn’t the case on the men’s side at the 2024 Trials, held on February 3 in Orlando, Florida. Only two U.S. spots were guaranteed when the race started, for reasons explained below. Leonard Korir placed third in 2:09:57, an excellent time in a championship race on a warm, sunny day.
wants clarity on team rosters at the conclusion of its national championships. Also, ’s policy doesn’t make much sense, for two related reasons. First, the Olympic Marathon Trials didn’t produce clarity on the men’s team roster for the Olympic Marathon. We probably won’t know until early May whether Korir will run in Paris. Second, there are usually others with the global standard eligible to be named to the U.S. team at the end of a national championship.
would do if Korir decided to run London in April and broke 2:08:10 there. Under the World Athletics system, his doing so would unlock the third spot. In the few hours after the Trials,