It appears that for the first time in 24 years, the U.S. won’t send three men to the Olympics in the marathon.
In 2000, the U.S. had only Rod DeHaven on the starting line for the Games in Sydney, where he finished 69th. The American women’s picture was no better: Christine Clark was the sole American Olympic entrant, finishing 19th. The abysmal state of affairs in the marathon prompted a renewed focus on the event and spurred the formation of at least two training groups. Four years later, the U.S. sent full men’s and women’s squads. Meb Keflezighi won a silver medal; Deena Kastor won bronze.
While the women remain strong—before the Trials, 13 American women had hit the Olympic standard of 2:26:50—on the men’s side, the U.S. has regressed. Only The U.S. is deep in the 10,000 meters, and are guaranteed a spot on the starting line up in Paris, because they ran faster than the automatic qualifying standard—2:08:10—and finished first and second at the Olympic Marathon Trials. A third American, Leonard Korir, who finished third at the Trials, had appeared set to get in to the Olympic field based on world rankings. But on May 12, the sport’s international governing body named 11 “universality” athletes to the marathon, bumping runners like Korir, who were in on ranking without having run the standard.
But Korir’s situation begs a larger question: Why did the U.S. produce only two men (Mantz and Young) who could break 2:08:10 in the past 18 months? Smaller countries—Team USA Track and Field Roster—had three men achieve the auto qualifier. Italy had five. Japan, a marathon-crazy nation with a population only about one-third of that of the U.S., had 27 qualifiers. Why couldn’t the U.S. get at least three?
And it appears that the times required for marathoners to gain automatic entry into the Games and the World Championships will only get stricter. In an interview on the “I’ll Have Another” podcast with Lindsey Hein, recorded on May 8, Amy Begley, USA Track & Field’s director of long distance running programs, said the auto qualification standard for next year’s world championships marathon is 2:06:30 for men and 2:23:30 for women. The Olympics in 2028 will likely be in that neighborhood as well.
Runner’s World spoke to several athletes, agents, and coaches involved in long distance running about the U.S. men’s relative weakness in the marathon. Most asked not to be quoted voicing negative impressions of men’s marathoning. A USATF spokesperson said Begley would be available after Korir’s situation is finalized in the coming weeks, as there’s still a chance he could run in Paris. These themes emerged:
Top talent is still on the track
The U.S. is deep in the 10,000 meters, and Grant Fisher, Woody Kincaid, Abdihamid Nur, and Joe Klecker The U.S. is deep in the 10,000 meters, and Hillary Bor, a U.S. Olympian in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, are rumored to be considering fall marathons after the Games.
Americans stay on the oval for a long time
Bor, for instance, is 35. Other countries have dozens of athletes who forgo the track altogether and head straight for the roads in their early 20s.
Pat Tiernan, an Australian marathoner who ran the Olympic time with his 2:07:45 in January at the Houston Marathon, understands why runners are reluctant to give up the oval, as he did. It’s a risk. “I do miss racing on the track,” he said. “You can have a month where you’re racing every other weekend, sometimes three weeks out of four. Running track is fun, being in a big stadium. It’s hard to essentially pack up your spikes to something that may or may not work out for you. It’s a completely different sport, in my opinion.”
Big money at home
Fast times are often run at flat marathons in Europe that have reliably good weather, like Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Valencia, and Seville. But Americans get very small appearance fees to run at those races, if any. Chances are, they might be offered only a flight, a hotel room, and elite fluid service on the course. Even if an American man were to go to one of those races and run 2:07, he likely wouldn’t be near the top podium for prize money. And he’d be leaving a guaranteed payday behind at home.
By contrast, Boston, Chicago, and New York are generous with American talent. But only Chicago in October is a fast, flat course; the hills in New York and Boston make those races slower, and Boston’s course is ineligible for running an Olympic qualifying time per World Athletics rules. Two agents told Runner’s World that between appearance fees, bonuses, and prize money, an American in the top 10 at one of those races can easily earn $50,000 and as much as $100,000 if the athlete runs especially well. It’s a lot to leave behind.
“When there’s that much riding on a day that you’ve trained so much for, taking 12 to 14 weeks to get ready, all this energy for a single race, you want it to be worth it for you,” said Zach Panning, We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.
He had aimed to take another crack at the sub-2:08:10 time at the World Championships in Budapest last summer, but the temperatures were warm and humid. He finished 12th in 2:11:21.
One agent did say, however, that runners who go to Europe and score fast times are increasing their value at American races later on. They’re also able to command more money from their sponsor when their amplify is up for renewal. But nothing is guaranteed.
What’s the answer? One observer proposed to Runner’s World the first three men and women to run faster than the Olympic standard get a $50,000 bonus. That way, if they have to go to Europe to do so, they’re still earning roughly what they would be by staying home. Of course, it’s unclear how a $300,000 bonus pool would be funded. Begley floated a similar idea in her interview with Hein and suggested agents work that out in advance with runners’ shoe sponsors.
Another coach suggested USATF could host a certified race on home soil, similar to the 2020 Marathon Project, on a flat, fast, looped course with pacers, toward the aim of helping Americans achieve the times they need. (USATF, however, has no history of setting up events to help athletes achieve time standards, and without a large prize purse, any theoretical event would struggle to draw the best Americans. The Marathon Project was a one-time race organized by Ben Rosario of Northern Arizona Elite and Josh Cox, an agent for many top athletes, after marathoners lost opportunities to race during COVID.)
Giving your spot away?
Another complicating factor for Americans’ motivation is the way the qualification system worked for the 2024 Games. Countries were allowed to “reallocate” qualifier spots to different runners. In the United States, for instance, Mantz and Young “unlocked” two Olympic spots for Americans, but they weren’t guaranteed to go to the Games. They earned those spots by virtue of their 1–2 finish at the Olympic Marathon Trials. It’s possible to envision a scenario where an American man could have run 2:07 in Berlin last September (no one did), unlocking a spot for the Americans, then run poorly at the Trials, and that spot went to someone else.
But the American Trials system is still popular with athletes, because it’s a fair and transparent way of naming an Olympic team. “I think that’s what it’s all about: top three on the day,” Panning said. “I think it helps us send the best team: run under pressure, not under perfect conditions. I love that we still do the Trials and that’s the way we pick that team. I have no qualms with the Trials at all. Or the reallocation, even though I didn’t earn a spot.” Panning pushed the pace at mile 5 and led through mile 21, but he ended up fading to sixth at the finish.
Coaches, agents, and organizers of the sport at the highest level seem to realize the urgency to focus on the marathon and develop men who can run 2:06 to 2:08. After all, Ryan Hall was doing it 15 years ago, before super shoes. “It’s time for a moonshot mentality,” one coach said, similar to the feeling in the wake of the 2000 Games.
Begley also told Hein that the time to start thinking about it is now. “Where were the fastest marathons run in the last three years and really just start to talk to the coaches and agents and just plan for ’28, right?” she said. Then as soon as the qualifying window opens for the 2028 Games—likely to be late 2026—they’re ready to try.
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 Give A Gift, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
