Kenyan Athletics Stars Concerned Over 2028 LA Olympics Qualifying Standards

World Athletics has released new qualifying standards for track and field events at the 2028 LA Olympics, which have raised concerns among Kenyan athletes. The standards are higher than those for the 2024 Paris and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. For example, the men's 100m standard is 9.93 seconds, compared to 10.00 seconds in Paris and 10.05 seconds in Tokyo.

Olympic and world medallists Julius Yego, Mary Moraa, and Reynold Cheruiyot, as well as Africa's fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, have expressed concerns about meeting these standards. Moraa noted that only two Kenyan women ran under the 1:57.00 standard for women's 800m last year, and only one this year. She suggested that athletes may need to compete outside Kenya to achieve the required times or qualify through world rankings.

Yego, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist, warned that the standards will disadvantage local athletes, with only two qualifying events in Kenya - the National Athletics Championships and Kip Keino Classic. He called for a national conversation to address these challenges. Omanyala, who has run sub-10 seconds 27 times since 2021, acknowledged that athletes must put in more effort to achieve the standards.

Cheruiyot, the 2024 world 1,500m bronze medallist, described the standards for 1,500m (3:30.00) and 5,000m (12:50.00) as tough to attain. Only 14 athletes, including five Kenyans, achieved sub 3:30 in 1,500m in 2025, and only five athletes worldwide managed to run under that time this year. Cheruiyot suggested that Athletics Kenya or World Athletics should review these times.

The qualification system for the 2028 LA Olympics includes a dual pathway, with 40% of athletes qualifying through entry standards and 60% through world rankings. However, World Athletics stated that no athletes will be qualified by world rankings alone. The qualification period varies by event, with the marathon and 10,000m having different windows than other events.

Kenyan athletes are not alone in their concerns, as the new standards are expected to be challenging for athletes globally. The 2028 LA Olympics will feature 23 women's events, 23 men's events, and two mixed events. Defending champions and Diamond League champions do not have automatic qualification privileges, unlike in previous World Athletics Championships.

The Kenyan athletics team will need to strategize and prepare to meet the new qualifying standards. With the 2028 LA Olympics set to take place from July 15-30, athletes have a limited time to achieve the required times and rankings. Athletics Kenya will play a crucial role in supporting athletes and advocating for their needs in the lead-up to the Olympics.

Key points

• The 2028 LA Olympics qualifying standards for track and field events are higher than those for previous Olympics.
• Kenyan athletes are concerned about meeting the new standards, citing the limited number of qualifying events in the country.
• The qualification system for the 2028 LA Olympics includes a dual pathway, with 40% of athletes qualifying through entry standards and 60% through world rankings.