Although it may look like a label maker, this starting gun is connected to speakers equidistant from every runner, to prevent a closer runner from hearing the starting gun even a millisecond before a runner farther from the gun. And the starting "gun" is less pistol-like than ever, since security is understandably squeamish about weapons at Olympic events. Therefore, every aspect of timekeeping is electronic, even the starting gun. In sprint races like the 100-meter dash, which can last less than 10 seconds, timing is of the essence. Because of the distinctions between these events - from distance considerations to weather concerns - the timing technology can vary greatly from sport to sport. We'll also check out the mechanics of determining split-second wins and false starts, as well as methods of instant scoring.Īs you're no doubt aware, the Olympic Games are held every two years, alternating between summer and winter athletic events. Because we're talking hundreds of events, we can only look at how Olympic officials time a handful of the really big ones in this article. (Seiko has held the title five times, most recently during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games.) This title means the company provides technology and personnel for the timing of hundreds of events during the biennial competitions. Omega has been the official timekeeper of almost every Olympic Games. Such accuracy requires first-rate technology, and as of 2014, only two companies in the world meet the standards of the Olympic Committee. Thanks to teeny variations in tracks and pools, however, events may only be timed to one-hundredth of a second (swimming) or one-thousandth of a second (track cycling). Courtesy of all that advanced timing technology, Olympic athletes can be measured at one-millionth of a second, or a microsecond - and note that it takes 300 to 400 microseconds for an eye to blink.
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