We’re pretty old hats at the Olympics now. We know how it all works, what athletes we can’t wait to watch and which finals we need to clear our schedules for. But this year, we have a new and exciting element to get our heads round that could make all the difference the running podiums: repechage.
You might have heard this term being bandied about already during coverage of Paris Olympics 2024, but it’ll really come into play when we get into the athletics, which start later on this week. But what on earth is repechage and how does it work? And, more importantly, what does it mean for our fave Team GB female runners? We found out….
What is repechage?
Repechage is a qualifying system that has been used in wrestling and other sports for a while.
It changes the format of qualifying for semi-finals and beyond. Essentially, it gives a second chance to athletes who have been knocked out in earlier rounds.
What running events will it apply to at Paris 2024?
This year, a repechage round is being included in Olympic athletics for the first time. It’ll happen on all individual track events from 200m to 1500m. It could make all the difference to some of our fave GB runners!
How is it different from previous Olympics?
Previously in the Olympics (and other track-based…
