How it works
In a new format for 2023, athletes will be ranked according to their single fastest time in a qualifying event. Every athlete will appear in the rankings.
Any athlete achieving the Automatic Qualifying Time for their age group will receive an immediate invitation for the 2024 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships, to be held within the 2024 Sydney Marathon on September 15.
Runners who do not achieve the Automatic Qualifying Time still have the opportunity to receive an invitation to enter the World Championship depending on the full field size and the number of athletes achieving the qualifying time.
In order to receive an invitation, runners must be registered at AbbottWMM.com.
The AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings comprise over 350 qualifying races in which athletes in nine separate age groups can compete in marathons across the world to earn a global ranking.
2024 Qualifying Times
The 2023 world championship took place within the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Full results can be found here.
Ranking FAQs
There are three ways to qualify for the championships. Full details here.
1. Achieve the Automatic Qualifying Time for your age group (see times above).
2. Other highly ranked athletes without an Automatic Qualifying Time may also receive an invitation (depending on the full field size and the number of athletes achieving the qualifying time).
3. The bi-annual AbbottWMM Global Marathon, held within the Global Run Club, has 200 places available for the fastest verified finishers. Visit the Global Run Club for full details.
The 2024 Sydney Marathon will host the 2024 Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships on Sunday, 15 September 2024.
Your Automatic Qualifying Time is based on your age on race day of the qualifying event which you are taking part in. See above for the full list of Automatic Qualifying Times.
You will only change age group if you have a time in one age group and then complete a race in your new age group.
In this case, you will automatically move into the new age group and the time achieved in your new age group will be the time used for your ranking position.
Note: we can restore your original age group’s result on request to results@wmmajors.com
Your age on World Championship race day will determine the age group you compete in.
Please see the table further up this page.
Athletes in the rankings who have not achieved time qualification may receive an invitation based on the number of athletes who meet the Automatic Qualifying Times and do not take up their place. The number of athletes who receive invitations through this pathway will be determined during the rankings season.
We have changed the system to be based on time in order to reward the fastest athletes with automatic championship qualification.
Currently there are not enough races which have non-binary categories with sufficient numbers to create meaningful competition and accordingly the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings and Championships are unable to offer a non-binary option for qualification. This will be kept under annual review.
Elites athletes aged 40+ who are in the AIU testing pool will not be eligible to compete at the Age Group World Championships.