North Korean marathon runner Ri Kwang-ok are expected to compete in the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will commence on September 13 in Tokyo, Japan.
On August 24, according to World Athletics’ athlete qualification tracking system, Road to Tokyo (which varies according to the host location), North Korean runners Ri, Choi Il-gyeong, and Han are currently designated as Qualified by World Rankings.
However, as qualification is determined by a combination of Entry Standards and world rankings, the final entry list remains to be confirmed. For marathon events, the top 100 ranked athletes based on their qualifying positions (QP) for both men and women will secure their spots.
During the selection process, approximately 50 of the 100 spots are reserved for those meeting the Entry Standards, while the remaining spots are allocated based on World Rankings. If more athletes than anticipated meet the standards, fewer spots will be available for those qualifying through rankings.
Since none of the three North Korean athletes achieved the entry standards during the qualification period, their chances of competing will depend on securing high world ranking positions.
Ri, a promising North Korean marathoner, clinched a silver medal at the 20th Asian Marathon Championships in March with a time of 2:26:07. Her current QP of 40th indicates a strong likelihood of qualification, barring any unforeseen changes.
However, as her time does not meet the women’s marathon entry standard (2:23:30), her qualification will most likely rely on her world ranking.
Choi finished 9th with a time of 2:29:05 at a marathon in Wuxi, China, last year and secured 2nd place (2:26:05) at the Pyongyang International Marathon in April. Her current QP of 60th does not guarantee qualification.{vi20}Han Il-ryong, North Korea’s leading marathoner, set a national record of 2:09:42 at the ’20th Asian Marathon Championships,’ earning him the gold medal. However, he did not meet the entry standard for this event (2:06:30) nor last year’s Paris Olympics standard (2:08:10). Han’s current QP stands at 61st.
The qualification window for marathon times at the Tokyo World Championships runs from November 5, 2023, to May 4, 2025, with no further ranking changes anticipated. For other events, times recorded through the 27th of this month will be considered, with the final entry list expected shortly thereafter.
North Korea last participated in the biennial World Athletics Championships in 2019 in Doha, Qatar, where three female marathoners finished in 8th, 10th, and 14th places. The nation’s sole World Championships medal was won in 1999 when Jong Song-ok, famously known as North Korea’s Marathon Queen, clinched the gold medal in Seville, Spain.