Why LA28 Olympics will open with the women’s 100m final and move swimming to week two

The athletics programme at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics is set for a major shakeup as the women’s 100 metres final will take place on the first day of the competition. The athletics event will take place in week one of the LA 2028, while swimming will be moved to the second week, giving a rare chance to the swimmers to attend the opening ceremony.

Day one will also award the first LA28 medals in the women’s triathlon and feature the most women’s finals ever in a single day, organizers said.

Why is women’s 100m moved to Day one at LA28?

LA28 officials said the switch stems from venue logistics at SoFi Stadium, which will host parts of the Opening Ceremony and swimming. Athletics will be held at LA Memorial Coliseum and run first to allow time to convert SoFi for aquatics in week two.

“We want to open with a bang,” said Shana Ferguson, LA28’s chief of sport and games delivery, who called the women’s 100m “one of the most-watched races of the Games.”

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World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the plan, which will see the women run every round of the 100m on the same day, was “overwhelmingly” supported by the athletes and coaches consulted.

“Their view was, why would you not want to be starting with that kind of flair off the back of the first day?” Coe told reporters on Wednesday. “Personally, I think it’s an innovative thing to do.”

Janet Evans, a four-time Olympic champion in swimming, added that placing swimming in the second week could let more swimmers join the Opening Ceremony, which many typically skip with competition starting the next morning.

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“There’s a component of the Olympic experience we want athletes to have at our Games,” said Evans, who serves as LA28’s chief athlete officer.

Heat factor considered while shaking up Olympics schedule

Ferguson said the schedule was built over months with the International Olympic Committee and international federations, factoring in athlete welfare, television windows and local conditions such as heat, tides and sun angles for outdoor events.

“Weather considerations were made not only for athletes but also fans,” she said, adding that the welfare of horses competing in equestrian events was also taken into account.

A “Super Saturday” on Day 15 is slated to include 26 medal sessions across 23 sports. LA28 expects women to comprise more than half of athlete quotas and highlighted new sports including flag football and squash, and the return of cricket, lacrosse and baseball/softball.

Ferguson said LA28 plans to sell about 14 million tickets across 51 Olympic sports at 49 venues, with public sales set to begin in April 2026 following registration in January.

For the initial on-sale, pricing is fixed and will not use dynamic pricing, she said, adding that organizers will outline measures to address secondary-market concerns closer to the on-sale date.

Existing venues

Organizers said 77% of sessions will be staged in existing venues, with 23% in temporary sites such as the Sepulveda Basin and Long Beach, with more than 90% of temporary materials to be reused or repurposed.

Softball will be held at Oklahoma City’s existing facilities, a move Evans said offers “world-class” conditions and broadens the Games’ reach within the United States.

LA28 officials added they are coordinating with local, state and federal authorities on visas and event delivery and have a dedicated visa assistance team to support pre-Games and Games-time travel.

With Reuters inputs