Athletics Canada announces 2008 Olympic Games Qualifying Standards

June 1 2007, OTTAWA â€“ Athletics Canada published today the draft standards for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. For the vast majority of events, the 2007 repeat performance qualifying period began today and will end on September 30^th.

The 2008 qualifying period will begin on April 1^st 2008 and will tentatively conclude with the Beijing Trials on July 6^th 2008. A Top 12 performance during the 2007 qualifying period will heavily impact an athleteâ€™s selection to the Olympic team.

Athletics Canada will review and finalize the standards as well as the final qualifying period following the 2007 World Championships. The A+ standard is based on statistical analysis of rankings, World Championships and Olympic Games of the past five years. The A+ standard represents a Top 12 ranked athlete in the world while the A and B standards, other than Road Racing events, are equivalent to the International Association of Athletics Federations A and B standards.

Road Racing standards are established equivalently with other event standards. A Road Racing performance must only be achieved once during the two-year qualifying window.

Click here to view the Qualifying Standards and the Repeat Performance Schedule.

Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field including cross-country running and road running.