1.29.2008

Olympic Team Selection

Lots of people have been asking about the process of making an Olympic Team. I listed a short version in the "frequently asked questions" in the sidebar. But really, it is fairly simple.

First, Joe has to get a qualifying score in order to compete at the Olympic Trials. He can get this score in any sanctioned track meet between now and then. He has to score the "A" standard, which is 7850, to automatically qualify, and 7650 for the "B" standard, which should also be sufficient (they take a certain # of athletes in each event...so if only 10 have made the "A" standard, they take the next best scores down to the "B" to fill the field).

Joe will do a decathlon (he's trying to decide which one) in March, and then maybe April, to get this qualifier. Then he trains for the Trials--which are on June 29-30 in Eugene, OR. At the Trials, there will be around 18 other decathletes who have met the "A" or "B" standard, and they compete for those 2 days in a normal decathlon...and the top three finishers go to the Olympics.

The Olympics in Beijing are in August. They begin on August 8, but the decathlon isn't until Aug.21 and 22.

So that's the process.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

it's actually 7900 and 7600:

http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF/entry/qualifyingStandards.asp

cebulski family said...

I KNEW I should have verified those standards!---they must have changed, because last time I checked they were 7650 and 7850. Leave it to my numbers-genius, decathlon-fan brother to correct me! Love you, Tom.
Laura

Unknown said...

since I haven't found gainful employment as either an actuary or an accountant I am left with no choice but to use my numbers obsession in the quest of learning decathlon minutiae.