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The female 100m title race is set to feature on the first day of events at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as part of planners' strategies to “launch spectacularly”.

The surprise choice, resulting in all three rounds of the 100m taking place on the single day, was welcomed by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who commented that it indicated “track and field is having its moment”.

Britain’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.

While runners usually run a maximum of twice a day, the sport’s governing body stated it had engaged extensively with competitors to guarantee they supported the decision.

“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 explained it had carefully structured the program to enable as many competitors as possible to “enter more than one race”, not just in events including the sprints 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 mixed 100m relay making its debut, as well as three days of road events at the end of the Games.

“Our athletics agenda begins explosively as women’s speedsters lead the way on opening day,” commented Seb Coe, head of World Athletics. “It’s a timetable that merges novelty with heritage, concluding with the men’s marathon.”

Yet, the agenda renders it improbable that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone can compete in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles, given the hurdles semifinals and the 400-meter championship fall on the identical date.

Aquatics has customarily started the Olympics. But as it is taking place in the SoFi venue, which hosts the inaugural event, it begins in the second week.

Organisers further stated that day one will feature the most women’s finals ever in a single day in Games’ history, with the women’s triathlon gold medal one of the prizes available. They arranged a Super Saturday on the penultimate day, with 26 first-place awards across 23 disciplines available.

Shana Ferguson, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, noted the goal is to distribute around 14,000,000 tickets across 51 disciplines at 49 sites, with general ticket sales starting in April 2026. Officials added that planners are avoiding the controversial flexible ticket pricing that provoked outrage among Oasis fans in the summer and experimented with by the football governing body at the Club World Cup in the United States.