Women's 100-meter Final Moved to First Day of LA28 Games in Program Overhaul
This female 100m final will headline the first day of events at the LA28 Olympics as part of planners' strategies to “launch spectacularly”.
This unexpected choice, that means every stage of the 100m taking place on the single day, was praised by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who stated that it demonstrated “track and field is having its moment”.
Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith supported the switch for the Olympics, set from 15-30 July. “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.
Although sprinters normally race no more than twice per day, the sport’s governing body stated it had sought input broadly with athletes to make certain they agreed with the arrangement.
“To be the pre-eminent event on the first night of competition in the historic LA Memorial Coliseum – when we presented it to the athletes that way, there was excitement,” said Janet Evans, the chief athlete officer for the Games. “A majority of athletes said to me: ‘Just let me know. Let me know early, and I’ll start training to run three 100s in one day.’”
The international federation explained it had deliberately arranged the schedule to allow as many competitors as possible to “double up”, not only in events including the sprints but additionally the 800m and 1500m and the 1500m and 5,000m. The organization stated there would be a decade’s worth of competition at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with a co-ed sprint relay making its debut, as well as three days of street competitions 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.”
However, the line-up renders it improbable that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will be able to participate in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles, since the 400m hurdles semi-finals and the 400-meter championship fall on the identical date.
Aquatics has historically started the Olympics. Yet because it is taking place in SoFi Stadium, which hosts the opening ceremony, it begins in the second week.
Officials also confirmed 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 among those up for grabs. They arranged a Super Saturday on the penultimate day, with 26 first-place awards across 23 sports at stake.
An LA28 official, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, noted the goal is to distribute around 14,000,000 passes across 51 events at 49 locations, with public sales due to begin in April 2026. It was also confirmed that organisers would not employ the controversial variable pricing strategy that sparked criticism among music enthusiasts recently and tested by Fifa at football’s Club World Cup in the United States.
