In the 1960 Olympics in Rome, a controversial gold medal was awarded in the 100-meter freestyle men’s swimming event. The Australian swimmer, John Devitt, and American Lance Larson both finished with a time of 55.2 seconds. Despite Larson technically being one-tenth of a second faster, the head judge declared a tie and awarded the gold medal to Devitt. This incident highlighted the need for more accurate and precise timing methods in sports.
Omega, a Swiss Timing company, has been at the forefront of developing innovative timing technologies for sporting events. Alain Zobrist, the head of Omega’s Swiss Timing branch, oversees a team of 400 employees dedicated to timing, measuring, and tracking sports events with precision. Omega’s involvement in timing sports events goes beyond just recording start and finish times. Zobrist emphasizes that they aim to tell the story of the race, not just the final result.
Over the years, Omega has pioneered various advancements in timing technology to ensure fair and accurate results in sports events. For example, in 2024, Omega introduced touch boards for the ends of swimming lanes to eliminate the risk of human error in timing. Additionally, they developed an electronic starting pistol connected to speakers behind each athlete to ensure equal starting signals in staggered-lane races.
Omega’s Scan-o-Vision technology can capture up to 40,000 digital images per second, allowing judges to make quick decisions in photo finishes. This is a significant improvement from the earlier days when it took hours to develop film footage for a decision. The introduction of Scan-o-Vision has revolutionized the way judges analyze close finishes in sports events.
As Omega continues to innovate and develop new timing technologies, the future of timing in sports looks promising. The storytelling aspect of races has become more intricate and detailed, providing viewers with a richer narrative of the events. With each Olympics, Omega raises the bar for timing accuracy and reliability, setting new standards for sports timing around the world.
The evolution of timing in sports, spearheaded by Omega, has transformed the way sporting events are timed and measured. From controversial ties to cutting-edge technologies like Scan-o-Vision, Omega has redefined the standards of precision in sports timing. As we look ahead to Paris 2024 and beyond, the role of Omega in shaping the future of timing in sports cannot be overstated.
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