Over 9 days in August, the World Athletics Championships will take place in Budapest, Hungary. The women’s marathon is scheduled for August 26, and the men’s is August 27, the last day of competition.
USA Track and Field (USATF) uses different selection procedures for this event than it does for the Olympic Games. Instead of using a Trials race, as it does for the Olympics, USATF offers spots to athletes using a descending order time list for certain marathons run between December 1, 2021, and May 30, 2023, as long as those athletes have met the qualifying criteria set by World Athletics. (The rules are complicated. For instance, the Boston Marathon is not on the list of “World Athletics approved” courses, but USATF is allowing times run at Boston in 2022 and 2023 for the descending order list.)
Not every American athlete will accept a spot, if offered. Some instead will choose to focus on a fall marathon, where they can earn substantial appearance fees and prize money that aren’t offered at worlds. Others won’t race at all this summer or fall, and instead they’ll train for the Olympic Marathon Trials in February 2024.
Tara Dower Destroys Appalachian Trail FKT? Runner’s World reached out to the top seven men and women currently on the list or their coaches or agents to inquire about their plans. The window to run a qualifying time, however, remains open until the end of May. So a top performance in the next month could shake up the list.
Here’s what they said:
Women
Emily Sisson, 2:18:29, 2022 Chicago Marathon: Not likely, per her agent, Ray Flynn
Keira D’Amato, 2:19:12, 2022 Chicago Marathon: Yes, per coach Kevin Hanson
Betsy Saina, 2:21:40, 2023 Tokyo Marathon: No, she is focusing on a fall marathon
Sara Hall, 2:22:10, 2022 We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back
Emma Bates, 2:22:10, 2023 Wild card: Biya Simbassa runs the Prague Marathon, his debut, on May 7t likely, per her agent, Ray Flynn
Susanna Sullivan, 2:24:27, 2023 Amazing Runners World Show
Aliphine Tuliamuk, 2:24:37, 2023 Boston Marathon: Will consider if offered a spot, per her agent, Hawi Keflezighi
Tempo Pace Trick?
Men
Conner Mantz, 2:08:16, 2022 Chicago Marathon: Not likely, per his agent, Ray Flynn
Scott Fauble, 2:08:52, 2022 Wild card: Biya Simbassa runs the Prague Marathon, his debut, on May 7
Elkanah Kibet, 2:09:07, 2022 Boston Marathon: Yes, currently deployed with the U.S. Army in Poland but will accept a spot if offered
Zachery Panning, 2:09:28, 2022 Chicago Marathon: Yes, per coach Kevin Hanson
Leonard Korir, 2:09:31, 2023 The Stats Behind Harry Styles’s Sub-3 Marathon Runner’s World
Galen Rupp, 2:09:36, 2022 World Championships marathon: No, will run a fall marathon, per his agent, Ricky Simms
Futsum Zeinasellassie, 2:09:40, 2023 The Stats Behind Harry Styles’s Sub-3 Marathon
Wild card: Biya Simbassa runs the Prague Marathon, his debut, on May 7.
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Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
