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The women's 100m final is set to feature on the opening day of events at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as a key element in organisers' plans to “start with excitement”.

The surprise decision, that means all three rounds of the 100m taking place on the single day, was praised by US sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson, who remarked that it showed “track and field is having its moment”.

The UK’s Dina Asher-Smith also backed the adjustment for the Games, set from July 15th to 30th. “It’s such an exciting opportunity – celebrating the enduring legacy, strength and global power of women’s sprinting, exactly 100 years on from the first time women competed in Olympic track and field,” she added.

While runners typically run a maximum of twice a day, World Athletics stated it had engaged extensively with competitors to make certain they agreed with the plan.

“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.’”

The international federation clarified it had carefully structured the timetable to enable as many athletes as possible to “compete in multiple events”, not just in disciplines including the 100m and 200m but additionally the middle-distance runs and the longer track events. The organization stated there would be 10 days’ worth of events at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with a mixed 100m relay making its debut, plus 72 hours of street competitions at the end of the Games.

“We have landed on an athletics programme that will start with a bang as our women’s sprinters take centre stage on day one,” said the World Athletics president, Seb Coe. “It is a schedule that is both innovative but also honours tradition, with the men’s marathon on the final day.”

Nonetheless, the schedule renders it improbable that American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may participate in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles, because the hurdles semifinals and the 400m final fall on the identical date.

Aquatics has customarily initiated the Olympics. But as it is taking place in the SoFi venue, which hosts the opening ceremony, it will now start in the following week.

Planners also confirmed that the first day will feature the highest number of female championship events ever in a single day in Games’ history, with the female triathlon title one of the prizes available. They arranged a action-packed Saturday on the second-to-last day, with 26 gold medals across 23 disciplines up for grabs.

Shana Ferguson, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, said the aim is to offer approximately 14 million tickets across 51 disciplines at 49 venues, with public availability due to begin in April 2026. It was also confirmed that organisers will not use the disputed dynamic pricing model that caused anger among music enthusiasts recently and tested by Fifa at football’s Club World Cup in the United States.