(08-Nov) -- The city of Orlando, Florida, will host the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon for men and women, USA Track & Field and the USOPC announced today. The date will be Saturday, February 3.
PHOTO: Aliphine Tuliamuk winning the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
"We look forward to a fantastic marathon on the streets of Orlando in selecting USATF's first six 2024 Olympians," said USATF CEO Max Siegel through a media release. "The competition is the culmination of months of preparation on their 'Journeys to Gold,' and we're excited to see great competition and fast times."
As in 2012 in Houston, 2016 in Los Angeles, and 2020 in Atlanta, the men's and women's Trials will be held on the same day. Prior to that the men's and women's Trials were held in separate cities on separate dates. The Trials have never been held in Florida before where the temperature range in February is typically 54F to 75F, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"On behalf of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, I offer congratulations to the city of Orlando for being selected to host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials – Marathon and look forward to celebrating this great event on the road to Paris 2024 with the athletes, fans, and our partners at USATF," said USOPC CEO, Sarah Hirshland through a statement. "As the pathway for making Team USA, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials stand out as remarkable sporting events, and we have no doubt Orlando will welcome our elite runners and put on a world-class event."
The Trials course was not unveiled today, but it should be relatively flat. Orlando is about 80 feet above sea level and there are no significant hills. The 2020 Atlanta Trials course had numerous hills, with a net elevation difference of 148 feet between the course's low and high points.
Disney Marathon race director Jon Hughes, along with his wife Betsy, led Orlando's bid for the Trials. They beat out a competing bid from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The prize money purse was not released, but USA Track & Field said that the traditional qualifying format of top-3 with the relevant Olympic Games entry standard would make the team.
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