Los Angeles Olympics chiefs have ignited controversy after announcing that all three rounds of the women’s 100m competition will be held on the opening day in 2028.
Both the women’s and men’s 100m sprint events are typically staged across two consecutive days at the Olympic Games, with the semifinals and final taking place 24 hours after preliminary heats.
Yet ahead of the LA showpiece in just under three years’ time, World Athletics has revealed all of the female races will instead be spread out across one day.
The morning session on July 15, 2028 – the opening day of the Games – will feature the women’s 100m prelims and first round, before the semifinals and final close out the evening session.
The surprise move has left Olympics fans furious, with some branding it ‘diabolical’ while expressing concern for potential injuries and questioning why the men are not subject to the same change.
‘There’s still time to change this…cause what the f***,’ one user commented on X.
Olympic chiefs have announced the women’s 100m will be spread across the first day in 2028
The women’s 100m preliminaries, semifinals and final will kick off the Los Angeles Games
‘The double standard of requiring the women to contest all three rounds of the 100m on day one, while the men compete in their rounds over two days at the LA28 Olympics makes no sense,’ wrote another.
A third put: ‘This is absolutely diabolical and illogical. This sort of format shouldn’t be anywhere near at World or Olympic level competition. This is almost as brutal as a 4 round format years ago.’
A fourth fan predicted: ‘Injuries party’.
While one simply said: ‘Ridiculous decision. Not fair on the athletes at all.’
Social media isn’t united in that sentiment, nevertheless, with certain users instead arguing that the tweak is a positive one for the Games.
‘Good. They need to do this more and stop dragging out these events over days,’ one insisted.
Another claimed the change will generate more impressive 100m times, saying: ‘Best thing done in years for 100s. You will see the results with some PBs in finals.’
While one asked: ‘can somebody explain to me why this is bad? Are they not professional athletes?’
Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia won the gold medal in last year’s final at the Paris Olympics
Swimming has traditionally kicked off the Summer Games, but because the opening ceremony is taking place at LA’s SoFi Stadium, same as the swim meet, organizers decided to make the swap as it was not feasible to set up the pool in the stadium so quickly after the ceremony.
All sprinters normally run a maximum of two races in a day at a major event. It’s a change the men will not have to deal with, but one that a women’s field which could include the last two world champions, USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and Olympic champ Julien Alfred are being given nearly three years to prepare for.
Saint Lucia’s Alfred won the women’s 100m gold in Paris, finishing in a national record time of 10.72 seconds, with Richardson taking silver and Jefferson-Wooden bronze.
