Double repechage

The two-table structure

The draw is split into two independent tables — table A and table B — each running as a single-elimination bracket. The split is made at the seeding stage, alternating the seeded athletes across the two tables so that top seeds are kept apart until the final.

Each table produces one finalist and one semi-final loser. The two table winners meet in the gold medal contest. The two semi-final losers each become the bronze medal opponent for the repechage pool winner from the opposite table.

Who enters repechage

Only athletes who lost to one of the four semi-finalists are eligible for repechage. The eligibility criterion is based on the path of the athlete who beat them, not on when the loss occurred.

This means eligibility cannot be determined until each semi-finalist is confirmed. As the semi-finals conclude, the bracket system traces back through each semi-finalist's prior victories to identify every eligible athlete. Those athletes are then routed into the appropriate repechage pool.

The semi-final losers themselves do not enter repechage — they are the bronze medal opponents for the repechage pool winners.

The repechage pool

Each table has its own repechage pool. The pool runs as a single-elimination bracket among the eligible athletes from that table. Athletes who entered the pool from earlier rounds in the main bracket face more opponents before reaching the pool final.

In larger fields — 16 athletes per table and above — the pool may have two or more rounds before the pool final. For an 8-athlete table, the pool typically produces a single repechage match before the bronze contest.

The pool winner from table A fights the semi-final loser from table B for bronze. The pool winner from table B fights the semi-final loser from table A. Two bronze medals are awarded.

Dynamic routing and scheduling

Because eligibility depends on who reaches the semi-finals, repechage pool assignments cannot be made until the semi-finals are determined. The pool pairings are set dynamically as each semi-final qualifier is confirmed.

In practice, each repechage pool should start as soon as its semi-final is complete — do not wait for both semi-finals to finish before starting any repechage. Starting each table's pool independently as the semi-finalist is confirmed saves significant time.

Athletes waiting for repechage eligibility to be confirmed should stay available from the quarter-final stage. Communicate clearly so they are not caught off-guard by a late call.

Match count

The repechage match count depends on field size and how many athletes each semi-finalist has beaten before the semi-finals. In a fully seeded bracket with no byes, the match counts below are typical:

The repechage pool count can vary if byes are present or if a semi-finalist received a bye in an early round, reducing the number of athletes they have beaten. Always use the estimator to get an accurate count for your specific field size.

Double repechage vs other IJF formats

When to use double repechage

Double repechage is appropriate when the governing body ruleset requires it, or when you want to give a wider group of athletes a second opportunity without the full match count burden of full repechage. It is the middle ground in the IJF repechage hierarchy: more inclusive than QF repechage, less demanding than full repechage.

It suits events of 16 to 32 athletes per category where you have enough schedule time and mats to run the repechage pools alongside or after the main bracket. For fields smaller than 8, a simpler system is usually more appropriate.

If your event follows IJF national or regional rules, check whether your federation specifies double repechage or QF repechage for your event level. The distinction matters for fairness and for athlete expectations.