On March 25, 2028, St. Louis will become the starting line for America's road to the Los Angeles Olympics—124 years after the city hosted the first Olympic marathon ever contested on U.S. soil. USA Track & Field and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced that St. Louis will host the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, where six athletes—three men and three women—will earn their spots on Team USA for the 2028 Games.
The decision marks a remarkable full circle for a city already woven into Olympic history. In 1904, St. Louis hosted the very first Olympic marathon run in America. Now, the city will launch the qualification process for Los Angeles 2028, making it the opening Olympic team selection event across all sports for the upcoming Games. The marathon will be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 11 a.m. CT, bringing the intensity and drama of Olympic trials into millions of American homes.
The course itself reads like a tour of St. Louis's most iconic locations. Athletes will run through Washington University, home to the stadium that hosted the 1904 Olympics and remains the world's oldest modern-day Olympic stadium still in active use. The route passes Forest Park, the cultural heart of the city, and swings past legendary landmarks including the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium before finishing inside Energizer Park, home of St. Louis CITY SC. Organizers promise to announce the final course layout in the coming months, but already the route promises to tell the story of a city claiming its Olympic legacy.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the legendary Olympian and St. Louis native who won gold medals in the heptathlon and long jump, serves as co-chair of the St. Louis Organizing Committee. She describes the event not merely as a race, but as an opportunity to inspire young people throughout the region. "Our plans include using the power and influence of the Olympic Trials in St. Louis to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people throughout the region, inspiring them to chase their dreams and believe anything is possible," Joyner-Kersee said.
St. Louis has deep roots in Olympic excellence beyond 1904. The city hosted the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women's Marathon and has produced Olympic gold medalists including Ray Armstead (1984, 4x100m relay), Dawn Harper-Nelson (2008, 100m hurdles), and Joyner-Kersee herself. The 2028 trials will add another chapter to this storied Olympic history while strengthening St. Louis's connection to the Los Angeles Games.
To qualify for the marathon trials, runners must meet stringent standards: men must break 2:16:00, while women must run under 2:37:00. An additional "A" standard with travel and accommodation support will be determined by the local organizing committee. The event is being organized by the St. Louis Sports Commission in partnership with GO! St. Louis, bringing together regional expertise to deliver what organizers promise will be an exceptional experience for competitors and the running community alike. With St. Louis also hosting Olympic soccer matches in 2028, the city is poised for a landmark Olympic year.