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Selection Procedures

  1. Selection System - 2003 Pan American Games Team
    1. Process for selecting competitors to attend selection events

      The trials for selection to the 2003 Pan American Games Team will be the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships held in Palo Alto, CA in June 2003 for all events except the men's and women's marathon. The athletes for the men's and women's marathon will be selected as described below.

      Track & Field Events: To qualify to participate in the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, an athlete must have achieved a qualifying mark established by USATF in a national or international meet which is sanctioned or recognized by either USATF or the IAAF and is conducted under the rules of same. Such a qualifying mark must be achieved during a time period prescribed by the USATF Men's and Women's Track & Field Committees. Standards will be established in December 2002.

      Marathon: To qualify to participate in the 2003 USA Men/Women's Marathon Championships, an athlete must be a USATF member.

    2. Procedures by which athletes will be selected for nomination to the team

      In order to qualify for nomination to the 2003 Pan American Games Team, athletes must compete in the trials events except for relays. Please see Section II. (Discretionary Selection).

      Individual Event Selections

      An athlete's rank order of finish in a designated event at the USA Championships will be used to nominate athletes to the 2003 U.S. Pan American Team.

      1. Rank Order of Finish: All athletes competing in an event will be assigned a rank based upon the order of finish for that event. An athlete must finish1 each event in which s/he is entered in order to be assigned a rank. Rank order of finish for an individual event will be established as follows:
        • Running events: 1) Athletes competing in the final round of competition will be assigned a rank based upon their place finish in the finals; 2) Athletes participating in the semifinal round of competition will be assigned a rank based upon the fastest times achieved in the semifinal round; and 3) Athletes finishing in a preliminary round of competition will be assigned a rank based upon the fastest time achieved in the preliminary rounds. An athlete's final ranking will be based upon the highest round completed by an athlete.
        • Field events: 1) Athletes participating in the final round of competition will be assigned a rank based upon their place-finish in the finals; 2) Athletes finishing the qualifying rounds of competition will be assigned a rank based upon the athlete's best mark. An athlete's ranking will be based upon the highest round completed by an athlete. If there is a tie in a field event, excluding the high jump and pole vault, the tie will be broken by selecting the athlete with the best second mark. Ties in the high jump and pole vault will be broken by a jump off, to the extent that it is necessary to nominate a team member in that particular event.
      2. Nominated athletes are required to sign a statement of conditions for participation.

        Marathon

        1. Athletes will be selected based on their order of finish in the 2003 USA Men's and Women's Marathon Championships provided they have achieved a performance standard of 2:45 for women or 2:20 for men after January 1, 2002. If additional marathon or half-marathon athletes are needed for the team, they will be selected in rank order based on their performance ranking between January 1, 2002 and May 1, 2003 in either the marathon or half-marathon depending on which event is contested in the Pan American Games.
    3. Procedures for replacement of athletes initially named to the team following final trials

      An athlete who withdraws from the team due to illness, injury or for any other reason, or fails to abide by the USOC Code of Conduct, following the final trials will be replaced by the next eligible athlete in rank order finish from the selection competition (final trials).

    4. International Federation minimum standards for participation

      There are no minimum standards for the Pan American Games.

  2. Discretionary Selection

    Relay Team members are the only athletes who will be selected by discretion. Nominated athletes are required to sign a statement of conditions for participation.

    In order to qualify for nomination to the 2003 Pan American Games Relay Team, athletes must compete in the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships unless excused for unforeseen circumstances prior to the Championships by a committee composed of the following members:

    • The appropriate Head Coach, the appropriate Relay Coach, the appropriate Sports Committee Chair, and two unaffiliated USATF athlete representatives.

    The Relay Coach(es) will present to the Head Coach(es) the procedures for selecting the relay pool and final relay roster for the 2003 Pan American Games. Athletes will be notified of these procedures at least 30 days prior to the trials events.

    The decision to place an athlete in the relay pool and on the final relay roster will be based on the Relay Coach(es)' judgment of that athlete's ability to contribute to the success of the relay team. The Relay Coach(es) will also take into consideration the athlete's ability to: 1) pass and receive the baton with either hand; 2) run the turn and/or straight leg; and 3) any other event(s) in which the athlete(s) may be scheduled to participate.

    In the event that the Head Coach and the Relay Coach disagree about Relay Team selections, the Men's and Women's Track & Field Committee Chairs, the USATF Athlete Services Coordinator, the Head Coach, and the appropriate Relay Coach will meet to determine the final relay team selection.

  3. Tryout Sites and Events
    1. Track & Field Events:
      USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
      Palo Alto, CA, June 19-22, 2003
    2. Marathon:
      Women: USA Women's Marathon Championship
      St. Louis, MO, April 5, 2003

      3. Men: USA Men's Marathon Championship
      Birmingham, AL, February 8, 2003

 

1 For those events in which multiple rounds are held, finish is defined as the completion of a preliminary round. For those events for which a "final only" is held, finish is defined as the completion of the "final only" round.