New Olympic Qualification Window: Pros and Cons

World Athletics announced the new qualification windows for the 2021 Olympics. Good news for athletes is that they will now have a little more time to hit that coveted A standard… the bad news is it probably means no meaningful Track & Field this season.

Obviously, dealing with COVID-19 means that no solution will be perfect. Some athletes will have access to their usual training locations sooner than others, while some athletes could find themselves in complete lockdown over the next month. It’s pretty optimistic to think that our sports world will ever return to normal in 2020, but setting deadlines and possibilities for athletes to look forward to is crucial towards the integrity of our sport.

World Athletics Qualification Window

So what are we looking at here?

The qualification window will open again on December 1st, meaning no times or results from gold standard races will count towards Olympic qualification if run before December 1st, even when it comes from an event with those qualifications. This doesn’t mean anything for those who have already obtained the standard or qualified via a…