The athletics have arrived at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 100m final is the crown jewel of track and field events – but when is it?

By Michael Potts

Published: Thursday, 29 July 2021 at 12:00 am


There is nothing quite like it in world sport.

The 100m final at the Olympics is always an electrifying occasion – less than 10 seconds of furious energy to crown a superstar. And it’s coming very soon.

At Tokyo 2020, we are gearing up to see a men’s 100m Olympic champion not named Usain Bolt for the first time since Justin Gatlin triumphed at Athens 2004. History is ready to be made.

In the women’s final, Jamaican athlete Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce is aiming to become the first woman in history to win three 100m Olympic gold medals, but faces stiff competition from the next generation of stars including Team GB’s fastest woman, Dina Asher-Smith.

Both finals are set to be spectacular, and mercifully they won’t require an early start given the time difference between the UK and Tokyo.

RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed on the 100m final at the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo, taking place in the summer of 2021.

When is the 100m final at the Olympics?

The men’s 100m final at the Olympic Games will take place on Sunday 1st August.

The women’s 100m final will go ahead on the previous day, culminating on Saturday 31st July.

Both events involve a series of qualifiers. We’ve rounded up all the heats and semi-finals in the schedule below.

What time is the 100m final at the Olympics?

The men’s 100m final starts at 1:50pm (UK time) on Sunday and finishes at approximately 1:50:10.

The women’s 100 final begins at 1:50pm (UK time) on Saturday and we’re not going to crack the same joke again.

Olympics 100m schedule

Men’s 100m schedule

Saturday 31st July

Preliminaries – 1am

Round 1 – 11am

Sunday 1st August

Semi-finals – 7pm

Final – 1:50pm

Women’s 100m schedule

Friday 30th July

Preliminaries – 1am

Round 1 – 11am

Saturday 31st July

Semi-finals – 7pm

Final – 1:50pm

How to watch Olympics 100m final

You can soak up 3500 hours of Olympics action across the entire event live on discovery+ – the ‘streaming home of the Olympic Games’ – including the 20 seconds necessary to soak up the pair of 100m finals.

discovery+ features all nine Eurosport channels and 55 live feeds bringing you every moment of the action. Their Entertainment & Sport annual pass is available now for just £29.99 with a three-day free trial.

You will also be able to enjoy the two 100m finals live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this weekend.

Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks.

Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars giving their esteemed opinions, so don’t miss what they have to say.

If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.