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The female 100m title race is set to feature on the first day of events at the LA28 Olympics as part of organisers' plans to “open with a bang”.

This unexpected move, that means each heat of the 100m being held on the single day, received support by US sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson, who stated that it demonstrated “athletics is stepping into the spotlight”.

The UK’s Dina Asher-Smith supported the change for the Olympics, scheduled from 15-30 July. “This is a thrilling chance – honoring the lasting impact, resilience, and worldwide influence of women’s sprinting, a full century after women first entered Olympic athletics,” she continued.

While runners normally compete up to two times daily, the sport’s governing body announced it had engaged extensively with competitors to ensure 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 intentionally designed the schedule to enable as many competitors as possible to “compete in multiple events”, not only in disciplines such as the 100m and 200m 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 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with a co-ed sprint relay premiering, along with 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.”

Yet, the schedule suggests it’s doubtful that US sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will be able to participate in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles, since the hurdles semifinals and the 400-meter championship are on the same day.

Swimming has traditionally started the Olympics. Yet because it is being held in SoFi Stadium, which hosts the inaugural event, it commences in the following week.

Planners also confirmed that the first day will showcase the highest number of female championship events ever in a 24-hour period in Olympic history, with the women’s triathlon gold medal among those up for grabs. Additionally, they planned a action-packed Saturday on the second-to-last day, with 26 first-place awards across 23 disciplines up for grabs.

Shana Ferguson, the head of sport and games delivery for LA28, noted the aim is to distribute around 14 million tickets across 51 events at 49 locations, with public sales due to begin in April 2026. It was also confirmed that planners will not use the controversial flexible ticket pricing that provoked outrage among music enthusiasts in the summer and was trialled by Fifa at the international club tournament in the United States.