A Breakdown of Who Has the Olympic Marathon Standard So Far in 2019

By Adam Kopet of DyeStat

The IAAF released new and tougher standards for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The men's marathon standard now stands at 2:11:30. The qualifying period began at the start of 2019. Prior to the start of the spring marathon season, DyeStat looks at who has already earned the Olympic standard.

Thus far this year, 94 men have bettered or equaled the 2:11:30 standard. Of those athletes, 36 are from Ethiopia, 27 are from Kenya and 18 are from Japan. Each country will ultimately be limited to three athletes in the Olympic marathon.

Getaneh Molla of Ethiopia leads the way with his 2:03:34 win at the Dubai Marathon in January. The IAAF has a full list of athletes who have achieved the 2:11:30 standard.

Thus far, one athlete from the Americas has met the Olympic standard. Juan Pacheco of Mexico ran 2:10:58 at the Houston Marathon in January, placing fifth.

There is a secondary method of achieving the standard that is time independent. Athletes who finish top 10 at a World Marathon Majors race or top five at a IAAF Gold Label marathon race are granted the standard. Two Japanese men have achieved the standard by placing ninth and 10th at the Tokyo Marathon.

So far, no Americans have achieved the standard, with only Galen Rupp having run under the standard in the last two years. His 2:06:07 and 2:06:21 performances last year were enough to rank him 11th in the IAAF World Rankings. Rupp will not be running a spring marathon as he recovers from surgery on his foot.

Andrew Epperson is the fastest American so far in 2019. He ran 2:13:11 last month at the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon in Japan.

The Boston Marathon next month will be the first chance for many of the top American marathoners to achieve the Olympic standard. Dathan Ritzenhein, Abdi Abdirahman, Jeffrey Eggleston, Jared Ward, Elkanah Kibet, Timothy Ritchie, Shadrack Biwott, Scott Fauble and Brian Shrader will all be shooting for a top-10 finish to achieve the Olympic standard. Chris Derrick is racing the Londond Marathon.

There are several notable athletes who are likely to achieve the standard next month. Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah are both running the London Marathon.

Americans have until Jan. 19, 2020 to achieve the standard prior to the Olympic Trials marathon Feb. 29, 2020. Athletes from countries without a selection race have until May 31, 2020 to achieve the standard. USATF will select the top three athletes from the Olympic Trials Marathon who have achieved the standard. Should fewer than three athletes have it, additional runners may be selected by the IAAF based on the IAAF World Rankings.