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The women's 100m final will take center stage on the opening day of events at the LA28 Olympic Games as a key element in planners' plans to “open with a bang”.

The surprise decision, which will lead to every stage of the 100m occurring on the identical date, received support by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who remarked that it showed “track and field is having its moment”.

The UK’s Dina Asher-Smith endorsed the adjustment for the Olympics, scheduled from 15-30 July. “What an inspiring moment – marking the sustained heritage, power, and international reach of female sprinters, precisely one hundred years after their Olympic debut,” she noted.

While runners usually race no more than twice per day, the sport’s governing body announced it had sought input broadly with athletes to guarantee they were on board the plan.

“Being the standout competition on day one in the legendary LA Memorial Coliseum – as we described it to the athletes, enthusiasm grew,” shared Janet Evans, the chief athlete officer. “Many runners responded: ‘Just notify me. Tell me ahead of time, and I’ll train to complete three 100m races in one day.’”

The international federation clarified it had intentionally designed the program to permit as many competitors as possible to “compete in multiple events”, not only in disciplines including the 100m and 200m but also the middle-distance runs and the longer track events. It said that there would be a decade’s worth of competition at the LA Coliseum, with a co-ed sprint relay premiering, plus three days of street competitions at the conclusion of the Olympics.

“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.”

However, the line-up makes it unlikely that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone can run in both the 400m and the 400 hurdles, given the hurdles semifinals and the 400-meter championship are on the same day.

Swimming has traditionally started the Olympics. Yet because it is being held in SoFi Stadium, where the inaugural event, it will now start in the second week.

Planners additionally announced that the first day will include the highest number of female championship events ever in a single day 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 titles across 23 disciplines available.

Shana Ferguson, 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. Officials added that organisers are avoiding the controversial flexible ticket pricing that provoked outrage among Oasis fans in the summer and tested by the football governing body at the international club tournament in the United States.