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This women's 100m title race will take center stage on the first day of competition at the LA28 Olympic Games as a key element in planners' plans to “open with a bang”.

This unexpected decision, that means every stage of the 100m taking place on the single day, was welcomed by US sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson, who remarked that it demonstrated “athletics is stepping into the spotlight”.

The UK’s Dina Asher-Smith endorsed the switch 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.

While sprinters normally race no more than twice per day, World Athletics stated it had engaged extensively with competitors to make certain they were on board 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.’”

The international federation detailed it had deliberately arranged the program to permit as many competitors as possible to “compete in multiple events”, not only in events like the sprints but additionally the middle-distance runs and the longer track events. It said that there would be a decade’s worth of events at the LA Coliseum, with a mixed 100m relay premiering, along with three days 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.”

Yet, the line-up renders it improbable that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone can compete in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles, since the 400m hurdles semi-finals and the 400-meter championship occur simultaneously.

Aquatics has traditionally kicked off the Olympics. But as it is occurring in the SoFi venue, where the opening ceremony, it commences in the following week.

Planners also confirmed that day one will showcase the most women’s finals ever in a single day in Games’ history, with the female triathlon title one of the prizes available. Additionally, they planned a action-packed Saturday on the second-to-last day, with 26 first-place awards across 23 disciplines available.

An LA28 official, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, noted the goal is to distribute around 14 million passes across 51 events at 49 locations, with general ticket sales starting in spring 2026. It was also confirmed that planners are avoiding the disputed flexible ticket pricing that caused anger among music enthusiasts in the summer and tested by Fifa at the Club World Cup in the US.