World Athletics Championships 2022 qualifying standards: How Dutee Chand, Hima Das can make the cut

With the World Athletics Championships 2022 starting on July 15 at Eugene in Oregon, USA, the upcoming weeks promise a lot of excitement in track and field sports.

Even before the big-ticket event starts, top athletes from all over the world, including Indian stars like Dutee Chand and Hima Das, will be busy trying to earn a direct ticket to the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 before the qualification window shuts in June.

World Athletics Championships 2022 qualification process

For each event at the world athletics championships, each federation (country) is allowed to enter up to three athletes. For relay races, the maximum number of entries is one team per nation.

In addition to these, wild card entries are reserved only for reigning world champions and winners of certain high-priority athletics events from last year like the Diamond League, Continental Tour - Hammer Throw, Race Walk Challenge and Combined Events Challenge.

Athletes can qualify for the World Athletics Championships 2022 in three ways.

They can meet the world athletics championships entry standards at any recognised event within the specified qualification window. Qualification through world rankings position, as it stands at the end of the qualification period, is also possible.

The third way to qualify is through finishing positions at particular events. For example, reigning Area Champions or continental champions in most individual events are eligible to compete at Oregon22.

For the relay teams, the first 10 (12 in the mixed 4x400m) teams from the World Relays 2021 qualify. The remaining places (six or four) are filled by the best-ranked teams at the end of the qualification period. Performances at World Athletics approved events are considered for the rankings.

While rankings remain a viable way to qualify, almost all athletes try to breach the entry standards to seal their spots early and spare themselves from the long and agonising wait to know the final entry list.

Some Indian athletes have already qualified for the World Athletics Championships 2022 by meeting the entry standards. Tokyo Olympics men’s javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra is one of them.

However, a lot more spots will be up for grabs in the coming weeks with the likes of Dutee Chand, Hima Das, Murali Sreeshankar and others set to go all out to earn their berths at the worlds.

Here’s a look at the entry standards they need to breach in order to qualify.

World Athletics Championships 2022 qualifying standards

* IWR – IAAF World Relays