Athletes have work cut out to achieve automatic qualification marks for the World Champs in 12 months’ time

With one year to go before the World Championships in Budapest, the global governing body has released the qualification system with a number of eye-wateringly high entry standards.

These include a men’s long jump standard of 8.25m – a distance that only two athletes achieved at last month’s World Championships in Eugene – plus the women’s high jump of 1.97m and men’s 10,000m of 27:10.00.

What’s more, marks will only be accepted at Diamond Leagues, Continental Tours, or World Athletics Tour events such as its indoor, race walking or combined events series, together with some national championships.

The World Championships take place from August 19-27 next year in the Hungarian capital and, in addition to achieving an entry standard, athletes can qualify via their placing on the world rankings or through wild cards if they are defending world champions or Diamond League champions.

Various other qualification methods are available such as top five finishers at ‘platinum label marathons’, winners of ‘gold label marathons’ and the top eight in world cross country rankings, whereas road marks at 5km and 10km will now be permitted. Marks over the classic distance of the mile will also now be allowed to qualify for the 1500m.

The full qualification details can be seen here.

The entry standards for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in 2023.

What do we make of these then? pic.twitter.com/pUqdMQGUoj

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 19, 2022

The event next year will be held at the new National Athletics Centre. Still under construction, it is expected to hold about 36,000 spectators but that will reduce after the championships.

Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, said: “Europe has always been one of the strongholds of athletics and we’re delighted to be going to Central Europe for the outdoor world championships for the first time.

“Hungary has a very rich sporting history and has shown itself to be an outstanding host of major sports events, including athletics competitions, and Budapest is a stunning city that will provide the perfect backdrop for the world’s best athletes.

“The Local Organising Committee hopes to organise the best World Championships ever and I applaud their ambition. We should always try to raise the bar higher at our premier event, just as our athletes do.”

The schedule is expected to be slightly shorter than the drawn-out 10-day programme in Eugene last month. Instead, in Budapest, there will be seven morning and nine evening sessions.