A new development in Olympic sports is set to make a significant impact on track and field events in Paris this year—repechage rounds in specific races.
One American athlete quickly utilized this new rule to their advantage. Here’s a closer look at repechage rounds.
What is a repechage round?
A repechage round is essentially a second opportunity for runners. In individual races ranging from the 200-meter dash up to the 1,500 meters, and including the 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles, runners who did not automatically qualify from the first round to the semifinals get another chance. In simple terms, it’s like a mulligan in golf.
Previously, semifinalists in these events were determined by top finishers in each first-round heat and the next fastest times across all heats.
Notably, the 100-meter dash (where Julien Alfred was crowned the women’s champion) does not use repechage rounds. The longer distances and steeplechase events are also excluded.
What does this mean for runners?
This rule provides elite runners, who might have had a poor start or faced difficulties in their initial race, with a second chance to advance through the rounds. However, it also means that some events now have four rounds instead of three, adding more physical and mental demands on the athletes. Nonetheless, every athlete running the 200-meter to the 1,500-meter is guaranteed at least two races at the Olympics.
The number of athletes advancing from each repechage round to the semifinals varies from two to six, depending on the race.
Why was this change made?
World Athletics, the governing body for international track and field, announced the change in July 2022.
“After consulting with our athletes and broadcasters, we believe this is an innovation which will make progression in these events more straightforward for athletes and will build anticipation for fans and broadcasters,” said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe. He added that the repechage rounds would provide more exposure during the peak Olympic period and be scheduled to ensure every event retains its spotlight.
When do the repechage rounds take place?
The first repechage rounds occurred on Saturday in the women’s 800-meter and men’s 1,500-meter events, with six runners advancing to the semifinals in each. Upcoming repechage rounds include:
Monday
– Women’s 400-meter hurdles: 4:50 a.m. ET
– Men’s 400-meter: 5:20 a.m. ET
– Women’s 200-meter: 6:50 a.m. ET
Tuesday
– Men’s 110-meter hurdles: 4:50 a.m. ET
– Women’s 400-meter: 5:20 a.m. ET
– Men’s 400-meter hurdles: 6 a.m. ET
– Men’s 200-meter: 6:30 a.m. ET
Wednesday
– Women’s 1,500-meter: 6:45 a.m. ET
Thursday
– Women’s 100-meter hurdles: 4:35 a.m. ET
– Men’s 800-meter: 6 a.m. ET
Athletes advancing from the repechage rounds face a quick turnaround, with semifinals typically scheduled for the next night. For instance, women’s 200-meter runners advancing from the morning repechage will race in the semifinals that evening.
Does this have strategic implications?
Yes, it does. U.S. hurdler Freddie Crittenden demonstrated strategic use of it on Sunday. He pulled up immediately in his first-round heat of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, intentionally jogging to the finish line to save his injured body for the repechage round.
“It was an intentional choice,” Crittenden explained to NBC’s Louis Johnson. “Everyone gets through to the repechage. … So I decided to just make a smart choice, give my body time to recover, and try to excel in the repechage round.”
The top three finishers in each heat advance to the 100-meter semifinals. By conserving his energy in the initial round, Crittenden ensures he will compete against a theoretically weaker field in the repechage round, with the fastest runners already advanced. This strategy also spares him from an extra all-out effort.
The introduction of repechage rounds adds a new strategic layer to track and field, offering athletes a critical second chance while reshaping how they approach their races.