In less than 200 days, the Paris 2024 Olympics will see the light of day. Fans wait with bated breaths, and now this excitement has trickled into the world of track and field, as fans are eagerly awaiting the marathons at the Olympics. Set for August 10 and 11, 2024, the men’s and women’s marathons in Paris aim to present a course that challenges athletes and promises fans a thriller.

With the countdown to this grand event in Paris already on, the 2024 US Olympic marathon trials are now just days away, building the anticipation further. As the focus is brought to the home of the brave, here’s all you need to know about the event that paves the way for American runners in Paris.

When will the 2024 United States Olympic Marathon trials start? Where to watch?

The 2024 United States Olympic Marathon Trials will commence on Saturday, February 3, 2024, in downtown Orlando, Florida, near Lake Eola Park. The men’s marathon will kick off at 10:10 a.m. (EST), followed by the women’s marathon set for 10:20 a.m. (EST). You can even catch the live coverage of the trials on Peacock at 10 a.m. ET, followed by broadcast coverage by NBC, which will begin at noon in Orlando. For those who will miss the live event, you can still enjoy the event on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

The current format: A glance at the 2024 United States Olympic Marathon Trials

The 2024 United States Olympic Marathon Trials course will have a 2.2-mile loop and three eight-mile loops, offering a flat route with long straights, which could lead to fast race times. Before the Orlando race, the athletes competing had to run fast times in either a full marathon or a half-marathon. In the trials, the time for men will be around 2 hours and 18 minutes for a full marathon and around 1 hour and 3 minutes for a half-marathon. For the women, the time will be around 2 hours and 37 minutes for a full marathon and 1 hour and 12 minutes for a half-marathon.

The standards for the Orlando race are pretty simple: if you finish in the top three, you’re going to Paris in 2024. The top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s races are likely to secure a spot on the Olympic team for the Paris 2024 marathon.

Athletes to watch out for: Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Betsy Saina, and more

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Orlando will see the best of the best battle it out for a ticket to the pinnacle games. The top male runners set to compete include Conner Mantz and Clayton Young. They both ran super-fast times in the Chicago Marathon, securing their spots for the Olympics. Conner finished in 2:07:47, while Clayton finished in 2:08:00. They are friends and have been training together for a long time, adding some extra drama to the race.

Olympian Galen Rupp is another name you should know. He’s a marathon veteran and has already won medals at the Olympics. Having been through this kind of pressure before, he adds experience and depth to the trials. Other notable men include Sam Chelanga, Scott Fauble, and C.J. Albertson.

Read more: 2024 United States Olympic Trials: Origin, History and More

With the historic event just days away, fans are eagerly anticipating the showdown to witness who will earn their well-deserved spot at the pinnacle and bring glory to America in Paris.

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