The 2020 Olympic track and field action starts in exactly 2 years.
The IAAF put out an interesting release today. I've bolded the last sentence below as it's the one I'm wondering about.
the IAAF wrote:
With exactly two years to go until the athletics action gets underway in the Japanese capital, the IAAF has published the qualification system for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The qualification system was approved at the IAAF Council meeting in Buenos Aires last week and includes details of the entry numbers for each discipline and the qualification timeline.
For the 10,000m, marathon, race walks, combined events and relays, the qualification period runs from 1 January 2019 to 29 June 2020. For all other events, the qualification period runs from 1 July 2019 to 29 June 2020.
Athletes can qualify in one of two ways:
• By virtue of their IAAF world ranking position at the end of the qualification period.
• Achieving the entry standard within the qualification period.
Entry standards will be approved and published later this year, but will be set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF world rankings pathway.
Anyone know how this will play out? How would it impact say the third American distance runner - maybe one who doesn't run often on the international circuit?
https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/olympic-games-tokyo-2020-qualification-system