United States Olympic Trials (track and field)

Lopez Lomong and Andy McClary at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene

The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the year's USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events, this has been considered by many to be the best track meet in the world. The event is regularly shown on domestic U.S. Television and covered by a thousand members of the worldwide media.^[1] As with all Olympic sports, the meet is conducted by the national governing body for the sport, currently USA Track and Field (USATF), which was previously named The Athletics Congress (TAC) until 1992. Previous to the formation of TAC in 1979, the national governing body for most "amateur" sports was the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

Standards

Paul Cummings winning the 10,000 metres at the 1984 Olympic Trials in Los Angeles

All countries are allowed to enter a maximum of three athletes into any of the Track and Field events in the Olympics, provided all three athletes have achieved a verifiable "A" standard performance. A country may enter one athlete in an event having achieved a "B" standard. Or, insignificant to the U.S. team, a country is allowed one single entry if it has no athletes who have achieved a "B" standard. The standards are published well in advance of the meet and provides approximately a year and a half long window for the athletes to achieve such a mark in a verifiable meet. These were the standards for 2008. These were the standards for the 2012 Olympics and these are the standards in 2016.

Entry to the United States Olympic Trials is open to any U.S. Citizen who has achieved the "A" standard, and based on superior performance, sufficient "B" standard athletes to fill out the field. Since 1972 there have been a minimum of 24 entries in any event, with the popular sprint events 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters and 110 meter hurdles having a minimum of 32 entries.^[2] Since 1992, athletes achieving the "A" standard are funded to attend the Olympic Trials, while "B" standard athletes have to pay their own way to the meet.

Unlike many other countries, who have a selection committee, the selection to the United States Olympic Team is exclusively by results on the track. It's "do or die" in the prescribed event. If two or more athletes in an event final have met the "A" standard by the end of that event in the Trials, then the top three who have met the "A" standard, based on their placement in the Trials (finalists, in order of finish, then semi-finalists, in order of semi-final time/distance, then preliminary rounds, in order of best preliminary round time/distance), are on the Olympic team, with the fourth-best placement among those meeting the "A" standard being an alternate. If fewer than two athletes in an event final have met the "A" standard, then the best finisher in the Trials who has met the "B" standard is on the Olympic team, with the second-best being an alternate. Should no athletes who competed in an event meet the "B" standard, USA sends no athletes in that event to the Olympics.^[3]

History

Prior to 1908, the United States Olympic team was selected. The 1908 and 1912 teams were selected based on regional trials, though the Eastern trials were favored. There were no Olympic Trials in 1916 due to World War I, nor 1940 and 1944 due to World War II, though Olympic marathon team members were named in 1940.^[2] The men's trials in 1968 were held at high elevation in northern California at Echo Summit, south of Lake Tahoe.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]

Until 1972 the Women's Olympic Trials were held separately. Also until 1972, the Men's Olympic trials conducted semi-final trials earlier in the season. Some events, including the Marathon and Racewalk frequently have separate Olympic Trials. The 1980 Olympic team was named but did not participate due to the 1980 Olympic Boycott declared by President Jimmy Carter.^[2]

Venues

Combined Olympic Trials

Year	Location	Venue	Dates
2016	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	July 1–10
2012	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 21 – July 1
2008	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 27 – July 6
2004	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	July 9–18
2000	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	July 14–23
1996	Atlanta, Georgia	Centennial Olympic Stadium	June 14–23
1992	New Orleans, Louisiana	Tad Gormley Stadium	June 19–28
1988	Indianapolis, Indiana	IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, IUPUI	July 15–23
1984	Los Angeles, California	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	June 16–24
1980	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 21–29
1976	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 19–27

Men's Olympic Trials

Year	Location	Venue	Dates
1972	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 29 – July 11
1968	Echo Summit, California	Nebelhorn ski area (temporary facility)^[7]^[8]	September 6–16
1964	Los Angeles, California	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	September 12–13
1960	Stanford, California	Stanford Stadium, Stanford University	July 1–2
1956	Los Angeles, California	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	June 29–30
1952	Los Angeles, California	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	July 27–28
1948	Evanston, Illinois	Dyche Stadium, Northwestern University	July 9–10
1936	Randall's Island, New York	Randall's Island Stadium	July 11–12
1932	Stanford, California	Stanford Stadium, Stanford University	July 15–16
1928	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Harvard Stadium, Harvard University	July 6–7
1924	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Harvard Stadium, Harvard University	June 13–14
1920	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Harvard Stadium, Harvard University	July 16–17

Women's Olympic Trials

Year	Location	Venue	Dates
1972	Frederick, Maryland	Governor Thomas Johnson High School	July 7–8
1968	Walnut, California	Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Mount San Antonio College	August 24–25
1964	Randall's Island, New York	Downing Stadium	August 6–8
1960	Abilene, Texas		July 15–16
1956	Washington, D.C.		August 25
1952	Harrisburg, Pennsylvania		July 4
1948	Providence, Rhode Island	Brown Stadium, Brown University	July 12
1936	Providence, Rhode Island	Brown Stadium, Brown University	July 4
1932	Evanston, Illinois	Dyche Stadium, Northwestern University	July 16
1928	Newark, New Jersey		July 4

References

↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF/ USATF Olympic Trials 2008
1 2 3 http://www.usatf.org/statistics/champions/OlympicTrials/HistoryOfTheOlympicTrials.pdf The History of the Olympic Trials, published by USATF
↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2012/OlympicGames/entry/12%20SOG%20(ATH)%20ATH%20June%2014%202011.pdf%20approved%20with%20signature.pdf 2012 Selection Procedure
↑ "U.S. begins first work at altitude". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. July 16, 1968. p. 13.
↑ Payne, Bob (August 16, 1968). "Olympic camp's press 'ban' unpopular". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 18.
↑ "Vanderstock shatters record; Ryun 7th". Eugene-Register Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. September 12, 1968. p. 1B.
1 2 Underwood, John (September 23, 1968). "Triumph at tragedy at Tahoe". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
1 2 Burns, Bob (July 3, 2000). "Magic Mountain". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 6, 2016.

External links

Article from Time Magazine

USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

1888–1979 Amateur Athletic Union	1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1980–1992 The Athletics Congress	1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992

1993–onwards USA Track & Field	1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2013 2014 2015 2017

US Olympic Trials	1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020

Track and field competitions in the United States

Outdoor	USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Olympic Trials NCAA Championships Men–D1 Men–D2 Men–D3 Women–D1 Women–D2 Women–D3 NAIA Championships Men Women Drake Relays Kansas Relays Modesto Relays Mt. SAC Relays Penn Relays Texas Relays Prefontaine Classic Adidas Grand Prix Adidas Track Classic

Indoor	USA Indoor Track and Field Championships NCAA Indoor Championships Men Women NAIA Championships Men Women National Scholastic Indoor Championships Millrose Games Sunkist Invitational U.S. Open Track and Field New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Tyson Invitational New Balance Games

Junior	Arcadia Invitational CIF California State Meet Golden West Invitational Minnesota True Team State Track and Field Pasco Invitational USATF Junior Olympics

See also : USA Track & Field

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