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This women's 100m final will headline the opening day of competition at the LA28 Olympics as a key element in planners' strategies to “launch spectacularly”.

This unexpected move, resulting in every stage of the 100m taking place on the single day, was welcomed by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who commented that it demonstrated “athletics is stepping into the spotlight”.

The UK’s Dina Asher-Smith also backed the adjustment for the Games, set from July 15th to 30th. “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.

While runners normally run a maximum of twice a day, World Athletics announced it had engaged extensively with athletes to guarantee they agreed with 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.’”

World Athletics clarified it had intentionally designed the timetable to allow as many athletes as possible to “enter more than one race”, not only in events like the sprints but additionally the middle-distance runs and the 1500m and 5,000m. It said that there would be a decade’s worth of events at the LA Coliseum, with a co-ed sprint relay premiering, plus three days of street competitions at the end 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.”

Nonetheless, the agenda renders it improbable that American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will be able to participate in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles, because the 400m hurdles semi-finals and the 400-meter championship occur simultaneously.

Aquatics has traditionally started the Summer Games. However, since it is occurring in the SoFi venue, which hosts the opening ceremony, it will now start in the second week.

Officials also confirmed that the first day will feature the most women’s finals ever in a 24-hour period in Olympic history, with the female triathlon title among those up for grabs. They arranged a mega Saturday on the second-to-last day, with 26 gold medals across 23 sports available.

An LA28 official, LA28’s chief of sport and games delivery, said the plan is to sell about 14,000,000 tickets across 51 disciplines at 49 locations, with public sales scheduled to open in spring 2026. Officials added that planners are avoiding the contentious dynamic pricing model that sparked criticism among Oasis fans recently and tested by Fifa at the international club tournament in the United States.