UK Athletics has published its selection policy for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, with “B” [UKA] standards listed for every single event.
In previous years, athletes could only qualify for major global championships if they achieved World Athletics’ entry standards in certain disciplines.
While the majority of events had “B” standards listed against them, a lot of athletes had to nail down the marks set by the global governing body.
UK Athletics’ selection policy for the Paris Olympics saw six male and seven female disciplines without a “B” standard.
On the men’s side, those events were the 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m and 400m hurdles.
The women’s disciplines were the 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 3000m steeplechase and 400m hurdles.
Paris Olympics (Getty)
The selection policy for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest also had six male and seven female events without a “B” standard.
UK Athletics’ standards are slightly easier for athletes to obtain than World Athletics’ marks, with the global governing body setting higher standards because it wants more athletes to qualify for global major championships through its ranking system.
According to UK Athletics’ selection policy for Tokyo, athletes who obtain the “B” standard must also be in a ranked position on World Athletics’ Road To Tokyo list, at the final publication of the WA rankings.
The qualification periods for athletes to obtain standards are:
All Individual events (except events below) – August 1, 2024 to August 24, 2025
10,000m – February 25, 2024 to August 24, 2025
Combined Events – February 25, 2024 to August 24, 2025
World champions from Budapest – including Josh Kerr and Katarina Johnson-Thompson – will receive wild cards for Tokyo.
Alexander Stadium (Getty)
The world track and field trials takes place at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham on August 2-3, 2025.
The world 10,000m trials occurs at the University of Birmingham on June 14.
UK Athletics took 64 athletes to last year’s Paris Olympics, with the British team securing 10 track and field medals – their best tally since LA 1984.
However, the cohort of 64 athletes was smaller than those who competed at London 2012 (71), Rio 2016 (80) and Tokyo 2020 (72).
Tokyo 2020 (Getty)
Here’s how the World Athletics and UKA standards for Tokyo compare:
*UKA standards in bold
Men’s events
100m – 10.00 [10.02]200m – 20.16 [20.30] 400m – 44.85 [45.00] 800m – 1:44.50 [1:45.25]1500m/mile – 3:33.00/3:50.00 [3:34.90] 5000m/5km – 13:01.00 [13:10.50] 10,000m/10km – 27:00.00 [27:20.00] Marathon – 2:06:30 [2:08:00] 3000m Steeplechase – 8:15.00 [8:17.50] 110m Hurdles – 13.27 [13.31] 400m Hurdles – 48.50 [48.70] High Jump – 2.33m [2.28m]Pole Vault – 5.82m [5.74m]Long Jump – 8.27m [8.13m]Triple Jump – 17.22m [17.05m]Shot Put – 21.50m [21.00m]Discus – 67.50m [64.90m] Hammer – 78.20m [76.50m]Javelin – 85.50m [82.20m]Decathlon – 8550 points [8250 points]20km Walk – 1:19:20 [1:20:50] 35km Walk – 2:28:00 [2:32:00]
Women’s events
100m – 11.07 [11.10]200m – 22.57 [22.60] 400m – 50.75 [50.95] 800m – 1:59.00 [1:59.25] 1500m/mile – 4:01.50/4:19.90 [4:02.90] 5000m/5km – 14:50.00 [14:57.50]10,000m/10km – 30:20.00 [31:10.00] Marathon – 2:23:30 [2:24:00] 3000m Steeplechase – 9:18.00 [9:22.50]100m Hurdles – 12.73 [12.80] 400m Hurdles – 54.65 [54.85] High Jump – 1.97m [1.94m] Pole Vault – 4.73m [4.61m] Long Jump – 6.86m [6.75m] Triple Jump – 14.55m [14.35m]Shot Put – 18.80m [18.65m]Discus – 64.50m [63.20m] Hammer – 74.00m [71.50m] Javelin – 64.00m [61.00m] Heptathlon – 6500 points [6235 points] 20km Walk – 1:29:00 [1:29:50] 35km Walk – 2:48:00 [2:52:00]
UK Athletics’ selection policy for Tokyo (T&F) is here
UK Athletics’ selection policy for Tokyo (roads events) is here
» Subscribe to AW magazine here, check out our new podcast here or sign up to our digital archive of back issues from 1945 to the present day here
