How are heats seeded, who progresses to finals, and how are lanes drawn?

These apply unless the applicable competition regulations say otherwise.

Heats

• With more than one round and seed times, athletes are seeded in heats using a zigzag distribution. Without seed times they are drawn randomly.
• With one round and seed times, athletes are seeded slowest to fastest. Without seed times they are drawn randomly.
• Lanes for heats are drawn randomly. If there are more lanes than athletes, the inside lane stays free.

Progression to the final

• 2 heats: 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each heat plus the next 2 fastest times.
• 3 heats: 1st and 2nd in each heat plus the next 2 fastest times.
• 4 or more heats: 1st in each heat, with remaining lanes filled by the next fastest times.
• Ties for the last place: both progress if possible, otherwise the higher placed in their heat, otherwise a random process such as a coin toss.
• With nine or more lanes, organisers may let nine or more athletes contest the final.

Final lane draw: athletes are ranked (fastest heat winner, second fastest heat winner, then fastest 2nd placers, then fastest next qualifiers). The top four ranked athletes draw randomly for the priority lanes (3, 4, 5 and 6 on an eight lane track; 4, 5, 6 and 7 on nine lanes) and the others draw for the remaining lanes.

Minimum time between rounds, when practicable: 45 minutes up to and including 200m; 90 minutes over 200m up to 800m; over 800m, not on the same day.