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This female 100m title race will headline the first day of events at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as part of organisers' strategies to “open with a bang”.

The unanticipated decision, that means every stage of the 100m taking place on the identical date, was welcomed by American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who remarked that it demonstrated “athletics is stepping into the spotlight”.

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith endorsed the switch for the Olympics, scheduled 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 runners typically compete up to two times daily, World Athletics stated it had consulted widely with athletes to make certain they were on board the decision.

“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 detailed it had carefully structured the timetable to allow as many competitors as possible to “compete in multiple events”, not only in disciplines including the sprints but also the middle-distance runs and the longer track events. Officials confirmed that there would be a decade’s worth of competition at the LA Coliseum, with a co-ed sprint relay making its debut, along with 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 schedule makes it unlikely that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may participate in the 400m and the 400 hurdles, since the hurdles semifinals and the 400m final fall on the identical date.

Swimming has traditionally kicked off the Summer Games. Yet because it is taking place in SoFi Stadium, which hosts the inaugural event, it will now start in the following week.

Organisers further stated that the first day will include the most women’s finals ever in a 24-hour period in Olympic history, with the women’s triathlon gold medal one of the prizes available. Additionally, they planned a Super Saturday on the penultimate day, with 26 titles across 23 sports at stake.

Shana Ferguson, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, said the plan is to sell about 14,000,000 passes across 51 disciplines at 49 venues, with public sales due to begin in April 2026. Officials added that organisers are avoiding the contentious variable pricing strategy that provoked outrage among music enthusiasts this past summer and tested by the football governing body at football’s Club World Cup in the United States.