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This female 100m final is set to feature on the first day of competition at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as part of organisers' plans to “open with a bang”.

This unexpected move, resulting in all three rounds of the 100m occurring on the single day, received support by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who stated that it indicated “athletics is stepping into the spotlight”.

The UK’s Dina Asher-Smith supported the switch for the Games, scheduled from July 15th to 30th. “This is a thrilling chance – honoring the lasting impact, resilience, and worldwide influence of women’s sprinting, a full century after women first entered Olympic athletics,” she continued.

Although sprinters normally run a maximum of twice a day, the sport’s governing body stated it had engaged extensively with participants to ensure they agreed with the arrangement.

“Hosting the premier event on the opening evening at the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum – when we explained it to competitors, they were thrilled,” noted Janet Evans, the Games’ chief athlete officer. “Most athletes told me: ‘Simply inform me. Give me advance notice, and I’ll prepare to race three 100-meter events in a single day.’”

World Athletics detailed it had carefully structured the timetable to enable as many athletes as possible to “double up”, not just in disciplines such as the sprints but also the 800m and 1500m and the 1500m and 5,000m. It said that there would be a decade’s worth of events at the LA Coliseum, with a mixed 100m relay being introduced, along with three days of street competitions at the end of the Games.

“We’ve developed a track and field schedule that kicks off spectacularly with female sprinters in the spotlight on the first day,” stated Seb Coe, World Athletics president. “This programme blends creativity with respect for customs, featuring the men’s marathon on the closing day.”

Yet, the schedule makes it unlikely that American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone can compete in the 400m and the 400 hurdles, because the hurdles semifinals and the 400-meter championship occur simultaneously.

Aquatics has historically kicked off the Olympics. Yet because it is being held in SoFi Stadium, which hosts the opening ceremony, it commences in the following week.

Organisers also confirmed that day one will include the highest number of female championship events ever in a 24-hour period in Games’ history, with the women’s triathlon gold medal among those up for grabs. They arranged a Super Saturday on the second-to-last day, with 26 gold medals across 23 disciplines available.

An LA28 official, LA28’s chief of sport and games delivery, noted the aim is to sell about 14,000,000 tickets across 51 Olympic sports at 49 venues, with public sales due to begin in spring 2026. Ferguson also confirmed that organisers would not employ the contentious dynamic pricing model that caused anger among Oasis fans in the summer and was trialled by the football governing body at football’s Club World Cup in the United States.