Who decides which heat and which start position an athlete gets?
I · Intermediate · Rounds, penalties and kit · 8 of 9Athletes are ranked on recent performances and spread across the heats so that the best are kept apart. For races longer than 800 m the starting positions on the curved line are drawn by lot in every round. The order in which the heats are run is drawn by lot as well.
How it works
- First round: athletes are ranked from a list of valid performances in a set period. This ranking is called seeding.
- Into heats: athletes are placed in the heats in a zigzag, so with three heats the top three go one to each heat and the next three are spread in the reverse order.
- Order of heats: decided by draw after the heats have been made up.
- Later rounds: the original performance lists go on being used, changed only by better performances in the earlier rounds.
- Start positions: for events longer than 800 m, "lanes / starting positions shall be drawn by lot".
- Numbering: positions are numbered from left to right, facing the direction of running.
- The 800 m: started in lanes, so its lanes are drawn like those of the 400 m: by lot in the first round, and in later rounds with the four highest-ranked in lanes 4, 5, 6 and 7.
- A single final: where an event has only one round, lanes or positions are drawn by lot.
- Who does it: the technical delegates, or the organisers where none are appointed.
Tricky cases
Does the fastest qualifier get the inside position on the start line?
No. For races longer than 800 m the positions are drawn by lot.
Is the seeding for the semi-final based on the heat times?
No, not mainly. For these events the original performance lists continue to be used, updated only by improvements made in the earlier rounds.
Can two team-mates be drawn in the same heat?
Yes, though the rule says athletes of the same team should be placed in different heats whenever possible.
Can an athlete swap positions with another by agreement?
No. An athlete may compete only in the heat or lane in which their name appears, unless the technical delegate or the referee accepts that the circumstances justify a change.
Why the rule exists
Where there are no lanes the start position matters far less, so a draw is enough. Giving them to those who ran best in the round before makes every round worth racing hard. Keeping the best apart in the heats means the final is not thinned out by an unlucky draw.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 20.3 to 20.5; TR 20.7 |
| Nine-lane tracks | Separate draw patterns | TR 20.4.6 to 20.4.8 |
| Invitation meetings | Organisers may seed and allocate lanes by their own method | TR 20.9 |
| Lower-level competitions | The technical delegate or organisers may use different principles | TR 20.2 commentary |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 16.1 and 20.2 to 20.7. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).