Timing Technology Behind Olympic Record Results

An anonymous reader writes "We've been on the edge of our seats cheering on the athletes at the Beijing Olympic games — but so often do athletes' victories and defeats rely on accurate timing. As the athletes compete on the world stage behind the scenes technology records their results. This interview with Omega's Christophe Berthaud (video) — the company's 23rd time as official Olympic timekeeper — explores how far the technology has come since the first time it was used in 1932."

Comments

What? TFA?

[FredFredrickson]

I swear I tried to RTFA, but.. uh.. it doesn't exist...

Finally!

[Anonymous Coward]

It's about time!

Re:Not accurate. Consistent.

[hotdiggitydawg]

given that most of these events are run in qualifying heats, consistency between separate races is often not a factor.

I disagree. Frequently the final is comprised of the three fastest from semifinal A, the three fastest from semifinal B, and then the two fastest remaining competitors from either race. Consistency between races is extremely important to these people.

Re:Why the difference?

[LordKronos]

It may have to do with regulations for individual sports. Each individual sport has its own set of rules and committees. Is has been made obvious this week, gymnastics doesn't allow ties, but I believe swimming does (IIRC, during the first few days we had a tie for bronze). If 1/100 second is the accepted resolution for swimming and any smaller interval is considered a tie, there doesn't serve much purpose in taking more photos. Each photo would be precisely timed to take place exactly as the clock ticked over. Anything more might be useful for a pissing contest, but by the regulations is unnecessary, and perhaps even undesirable (as the media might try to push one as being the true winner, rather than just accept the tie and giving both their due).

Observer Effect

[DaMoisture]

"No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!"

Re:Why the difference?

[uberdilligaff]

I have officiated swimming competitions for nearly 20 years, and LordKronos has it exactly right. Both USA-Swimming and FINA (international swimming governing body) rules require that races be decided by accurate electronic timing precise to 1/100 sec, and no more. Further precision to 1/1000 sec is neither desired nor permitted, and by rule, swimmers who have the same time to the nearest 1/100 sec are tied and share equally in the place. At the velocity of Olympic swimmers (Phelps' 100 fly averaged 1.98 meters/sec), the .01 sec time difference amounts to a 2cm margin of victory.