Qualifying Guidelines

1. Athletes must meet the "B" standard in order to enter the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon event.
2. The qualifying mark must be made in a race on a certified course recognized by USA Track & Field or a member federation of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The course must be USATF/IAAF/AIMS certified with an active course certification and have an elevation loss no greater than 3.25 meters/km. All course configurations will be accepted (no minimum separation). Marks from events on the track must be made in competition on a standard outdoor track.
3. The qualifying standards must be met from January 1, 2010 until 30 days prior to the designated Olympic Trials race, with a one-day qualifying window for the 2009 USA Marathon Championships (October 4, 2009).
4. All qualifying performances are subject to verification.
5. "Gun" time is the only acceptable method of timing. Chip/net times cannot be used for qualifying. Consideration may be given to "chip/tag" times for competitors with "gun" times extremely close to the above qualifying standards.
6. Fully automatic timing (F.A.T.) is the only method of timing acceptable for qualifying marks from track events.
7. Athletes meeting the “A” standard will be provided funding support.

Automatic Qualification

USATF Rule 10.3(b) regarding Automatic Qualification will be used.

An athlete is eligible for automatic qualification into the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon if that athlete has, during the year 2012, or during the four previous calendar years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), accomplished one of the following:

• Earned an individual medal in an Olympic Games or in an IAAF World Championship marathon.
• Won an individual USA Marathon Championship.
• Won a U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon event.

In addition, automatic qualification into the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon will be provided to those athletes who were members of a past U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Team.

An athlete whose entry into the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon is based solely on the "automatic qualification" provision is not eligible to receive funding to the Trials unless she has already met the Olympic Trials "A" standard.