“It will be an honour for the women’s 100m to open the LA Games,” said British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith.
“It’s such an exciting opportunity – celebrating the 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. I can’t wait to set the tone for what will be a thrilling and spectacular Games.”
Having the women’s 100m open the Games means those competing must run three heats in one day, instead of over two days, but LA28 chief athlete officer Janet Evans said they spoke at length with athletes and had a “largely positive conversation”.
The athletics will be at the LA Memorial Coliseum, while the first medal event will be the women’s triathlon and the last will be in swimming.
Swimming has moved to the second week so it can take place at the opening ceremony venue, SoFi Stadium.
The first official day of the Olympics will also include the most women’s finals in a single day.
“The LA28 Olympic Games will feature a record-breaking number of female Olympians, with every team sport featuring an equal or greater number of women’s teams compared to men’s teams for the first time ever, and 50.5% of the total athlete quota allocated to women across the 36 sports and 51 disciplines,” said the organisers., external
The details for the Olympic football tournament, which will be staged across the United States, and the Los Angeles Paralympics, scheduled for 15-27 August, have yet to be announced.
