Women’s 100m Final To Open Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

The organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games have announced that the women’s 100 metres final will be one of the main highlights on the first day of competition. This new schedule marks a major change from past Olympics, as athletics will now take place during the first week instead of the second. The organisers said the new plan will allow swimming to be held in the second week, giving swimmers the rare chance to attend the Opening Ceremony.

The change in schedule was made mainly because of venue arrangements at SoFi Stadium and the LA Memorial Coliseum. SoFi Stadium will host some parts of the Opening Ceremony and also be used for swimming events later in the Games. To make this possible, athletics will be held first at the LA Memorial Coliseum, one of the most historic Olympic venues in the world. This will give organisers enough time to prepare SoFi Stadium for the swimming competitions that will happen in week two.

Shana Ferguson, the Chief of Sport and Games Delivery for LA28, said that the goal is to start the Games with great excitement. She described the women’s 100 metres race as one of the most-watched and thrilling events of the Olympic Games. Ferguson said, “We want to open with a bang,” expressing confidence that the energy of the event will set the tone for the rest of the Games.

Janet Evans, a four-time Olympic champion in swimming and now the Chief Athlete Officer for LA28, also welcomed the change. She said that moving swimming to the second week would allow more swimmers to take part in the Opening Ceremony, something they usually miss because their competitions normally begin the next morning. Evans said that the new schedule will give athletes a chance to experience the true spirit of the Olympics.

Ferguson explained that the new schedule was created after months of discussions with the International Olympic Committee and various sports federations. The planning team took into account athlete welfare, television timings, and local conditions such as weather, tides, and sunlight angles. She said that the safety and comfort of both athletes and fans were top priorities. For example, equestrian events were planned with special attention to the welfare of horses, considering heat and surface conditions.

On the first day of competition, the women’s triathlon will also take place, along with several other women’s finals. Organisers said that it will be the first time in Olympic history that so many women’s finals are scheduled on a single day. This move is part of LA28’s commitment to gender equality in sports.

A major highlight later in the Games will be the “Super Saturday” on Day 15, where 26 medal events will be held across 23 sports. The LA28 team expects women to make up more than half of the athletes competing. The Games will also include new sports like flag football and squash, as well as the return of cricket, lacrosse, and baseball/softball.

Ferguson said that LA28 plans to sell around 14 million tickets across 51 Olympic sports held at 49 venues. Ticket registration will start in January 2026, with public sales beginning in April the same year. Ticket prices will be fixed and will not change based on demand, and organisers are also working on plans to prevent ticket reselling issues.

Most of the Olympic sessions, about 77 percent, will be held in existing venues to reduce costs and environmental impact. Around 23 percent of events will take place in temporary locations such as Long Beach and the Sepulveda Basin. Over 90 percent of the temporary materials used will be reused or recycled after the Games.

Softball, one of the returning sports, will be played at the existing world-class facilities in Oklahoma City. Evans said that this decision not only ensures top-quality venues but also extends the Olympic experience to more parts of the United States.

Finally, LA28 officials confirmed that they are working closely with local, state, and federal agencies to handle visa support and event delivery. They have already set up a special visa assistance team to help athletes, officials, and fans with travel before and during the Games.

With these changes, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics aims to deliver a new kind of Olympic experience — one that begins with the thrilling women’s 100 metres final and continues with a mix of tradition, innovation, and inclusivity.