A new rule at the Olympic track competition in which hurdlers and sprinters will get a second chance at their races through repechage rounds. These rounds will give athletes who do not qualify in their opening heats in the 200 through 1,500 meter races another opportunity to compete. Many athletes are not familiar with repechage, but see it as a beneficial concept that allows for a second chance at success. The repechage concept was inspired by rowing, wrestling, and martial arts, and aims to make events more straightforward for athletes and engaging for fans.
The repechage rule was introduced in 2022 to eliminate the previous system of “lucky losers” who had to rely on other heat times to advance to the next round. Instead, athletes who do not earn automatic spots in the semifinals will line up for a repechage round to determine the final spots in the semis. This new system is expected to create clearer pathways for athletes and build anticipation for fans and broadcasters. The concept is particularly beneficial for hurdlers, who are more susceptible to falls and mishaps, even in early rounds.
While some athletes, such as American hurdler Masai Russell, see the repechage round as a valuable opportunity for redemption, others, like medal favorite Rai Benjamin, do not plan on needing it. The repechage format could have benefited athletes like Jamaican 200-meter world champion Shericka Jackson at the 2021 Tokyo Games, who missed out on the final due to a strategic error. The repechage system will include a first round, repechage round, semifinals, and final, ensuring that athletes have at least two chances to compete on the track.
Not all events will include a repechage round, with some, like the 100 meters, already having an additional preliminary round for some runners. Distance events such as the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters will also not feature a repechage round due to the athletes needing more time to recover. Events like the 10,000 meters and marathons will only have a final race, without a repechage round. The change aims to streamline the competition process and increase fan engagement, which is crucial for the success of the Olympic Games.
