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The women's 100m final is set to feature on the opening day of events at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as part of planners' strategies to “start with excitement”.

The surprise move, resulting in all three rounds of the 100m occurring on the single day, was praised by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who remarked that it indicated “the sport is enjoying a resurgence”.

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith endorsed the change for the Games, set 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.

Although sprinters typically race no more than twice per day, the sport’s governing body stated it had engaged extensively with participants to guarantee 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 explained it had intentionally designed the timetable to allow as many competitors as possible to “enter more than one race”, not only in events such as the 100m and 200m but additionally the middle-distance runs and the 1500m and 5,000m. Officials confirmed that there would be 10 days’ worth of events at the LA Coliseum, with a mixed 100m relay being introduced, plus 72 hours of road events at the conclusion 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.”

However, the line-up renders it improbable that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may participate in the 400m and the 400 hurdles, since the hurdles semifinals and the 400-meter championship fall on the identical date.

Aquatics has historically kicked off the Olympics. Yet because it is being held in the SoFi venue, which hosts the inaugural event, it commences in the second week.

Organisers further stated that the first day will include the most women’s finals ever in a 24-hour period in Games’ history, with the women’s triathlon gold medal one of the prizes available. Additionally, they planned a action-packed Saturday on the second-to-last day, with 26 gold medals across 23 sports available.

An LA28 official, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, said the aim is to sell about 14 million tickets across 51 events at 49 venues, with general ticket sales scheduled to open in spring 2026. Ferguson also confirmed that planners will not use the controversial flexible ticket pricing that caused anger among music enthusiasts this past summer and experimented with by Fifa at football’s Club World Cup in the US.