World Athletics announce 'Historic Firsts' as women's 100m event opens LA 2028 Olympic Games

For the first time in history, athletics will span the entire Olympic period at the LA 2028 Games, with the schedule confirming the women's 100m event will compete all three rounds – including the final – on the same day.

The LA28 Olympic Games competition schedule released, reveals a groundbreaking plan for track and field. The athletics program will begin with a bang on Saturday, July 15, 2028, as all three rounds of the women's 100m—including the final—are set to take place on day one.

This ensures the Games will open with one of its most electrifying events. The opening session will also include finals for the men's 10,000m and women's shot put, followed by the men's 100m final on the second day.

Athletics will be contested over 13 days, from July 15 to July 30. The iconic LA Memorial Coliseum will host in-stadium events for the first 10 days (July 15-24). The focus will then shift to road events on July 27, 29, and 30, culminating with the men's marathon on the final day of the Games, with medals to be presented during the closing ceremony.

Speaking on the new development, World Athletics president Seb Coe said athletes can dare to dream by combining two events to their advantage."It is a schedule that is both innovative but also honours tradition, with the men’s marathon on the final day," he said. "Athletes can dare to dream to emulate Olympic legends of the past through the compelling proposition of the maximum amount of potential doubles."

The new schedule has been designed to maximize opportunities for athletes to compete in multiple events. Potential doubles include the 100m & 200m, 200m & 400m, 800m & 1500m, 1500m & 5000m, 5000m & 10,000m, and the long jump & triple jump. This structure opens the door for stars to pursue historic feats, echoing the legendary performances of past Olympians like Carl Lewis at the LA 1984 Games.

A new repechage format will be introduced to improve athlete recovery times, and the mixed 4x100m relay will make its Olympic debut. While the event allocation for each session is now final, World Athletics and the LA28 Organizing Committee will spend the next two and a half years finalizing the detailed timetable.

Reacting to the new format, American sprint queen Sha’Carri Richardson expressed her excitement. "Track and field is having its moment, and the road to LA28 is about to be something special, especially for the women’s sprints," she said. "I’m locked in on accomplishing some personal goals and doing my part to help the sport keep growing."

British 100m record holder Dina Asher-Smith also expessed her delight, highlighting the significance of the women's 100m opening the Games.

"It will be an honour," she stated. "It’s such an exciting opportunity—celebrating 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."

The LA 2028 Olympic Games will run from July 14-30, 2028, hosting over 10,000 athletes from around 200 nations across 35 sports. This will be the third time Los Angeles has hosted the Olympics, following the 1932 and 1984 editions.