It was a cold morning in February when the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics kicked off. There was excitement in the air. Athletes from all over the world had gathered for the opening event. But in the midst of this spectacle, a quiet revolution in timekeeping was taking place, with Omega in the lead...

Text: Gerben Bijpost Photography: Omega

Traditionally, it has been one of the most iconic images of any major athletics event: the starter with his starting pistol; a revolver reminiscent of films set in the Wild West. The silence, the rising tension, the concentration and then.... that huge bang. The athletes shoot out of their starting blocks and the race is on.

But at the 2010 Winter Olympics, this familiar 'weapon' was suddenly replaced by something very different: a sleek, futuristic device designed by Omega -already Official Timekeeper at the Olympics since 1932- to meet the demands of modern times.

This new starting instrument, consisting of a flash gun and a sound generator, was a milestone in timekeeping technology. When the starter pulled the trigger, sound, light and starting pulses were emitted simultaneously, ensuring a much more accurate start than was possible with that 'cowboy gun'. This development marked the beginning of a new era in athletics, in which technology and precision were taken to ever higher levels.

Many innovations

The new starting gun was just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, Omega has been working tirelessly for many years on numerous advanced systems to continuously improve the reliability of timekeeping. For example, sensors were integrated into the starting blocks, allowing the reaction time of athletes to be measured with hitherto unprecedented precision. This made it possible to determine whether a false start had occurred more accurately than was possible with the eyes.

Photo finish cameras were also introduced, which captured races down to the millisecond. These cameras could capture up to 10,000 digital images per second, allowing even the smallest differences between competitors flashing across the finish line to be detected.

Because of course, the mechanical chronographs, with which Omega had begun its important Timekeeper task decades earlier, were beautiful and reliable instruments; pressing a start and stop button still depended on the responsiveness of the person handling it. Such a detailed finish photo instantly puts an end to any possible discussion.

More than just time measurement

But it was not only starting blocks and finish lines that benefited from Omega's technological advances. New measurement methods were also around the corner in field sports such as long jump and shot put. Video and laser technologies were introduced to measure distances more accurately than ever before, allowing athletes to improve their performance and break records.

One of the most notable innovations was undoubtedly the real-time tracking system Omega developed. By placing chips in the start numbers on the jerseys, athletes and coaches could receive feedback on speed, split times and distances even while racing, allowing a much deeper understanding of performance.

This system, first introduced at the Rio 2016 Olympics, marked a new revolution in the way athletes analysed and improved their races. Because no detail went unnoticed anymore, and athletes could adjust their strategies while the race was still in progress, it led to a new wave of personal and world records.

Will we soon see innovations in Paris 2024? Undoubtedly. What is clear is that Omega continues tirelessly to push the boundaries for timekeeping. Sport, athletes and spectators benefit.

The beginning

Even before 1932, the name Omega was synonymous with precision. The company had set many industry records and had also already built a strong reputation in the world of sports timekeeping. With all that experience, it was the most obvious choice to become the official timekeeper of the 1932 Olympics. For this prestigious occasion, an Omega watchmaker travelled from Bienne to Los Angeles, armed with 30 stopwatches for the judges to operate. Each watch was certified as a chronometer by the Observatory in Neuchâtel and was accurate to 1/10 of a second. Most impressive was the split-second function that also allowed intermediate times to be recorded.

1948

Electronics at the Games

The photoelectric cell is often called one of Omega's most important innovations in the world of time measurement. The technology replaced the traditional finish line ribbon with a high-reactivity light beam. This meant that as soon as the first athlete crossed the finish line, his race time was electronically stopped and could be measured to the nearest 1/1000th of a second. Compared to the reactions of the human eye or the outdated Muybridge wire, this was a significant improvement. Omega's Photoelectric Cell was the world's first independent, portable and water-resistant version of the technology and could be modified to withstand both high and low outdoor temperatures. So for Olympics, which were held in both winter and summer, it was perfectly suited.

1948

The photo finish camera

In 1948, Omega's timekeeping advanced at lightning speed. The photoelectric cell, which had been successfully launched in St Moritz six months earlier, was now nicknamed the 'Magic Eye' and made its debut at the Summer Olympics. Most importantly, the technology was now being used in conjunction with the world's first slit-photo-finish camera. The Racend Timer, developed by a British company called 'RaceFinish Recording Company', recorded an image that could show the exact finishing sequence of a close race. In London, the photo-finish camera was only used to determine the final standings, not the official results. In Helsinki in 1952, the camera was renamed the Omega Racing Timer.

1964

On-screen time

Innsbruck 1964 is often described as the first televised Olympic Games. More than 200 hours of broadcast time were devoted to the events and dozens of television stations were present on site. Thanks to the new Omegascope, the viewing experience went a step further than ever before. This new device introduced the concept of real time sports coverage by showing the times of the athletes at the bottom of the screen.

It again revolutionised timekeeping, but also left no room for error. Omega's precision was now open for millions to see, which meant the brand had to get every measurement exactly right. Never before had spectators outside a venue been so quickly and well-informed about events in the sport.

1984

Starting block

Each set of starting blocks is now equipped with a speaker connected to the starter's electronic flash gun, so that all participants hear the starting signal at exactly the same time. The reaction of each runner to the sound of the starting pistol (pressure applied against the blocks) is also detected by the sensors. If the measured time is shorter than the time in which a person can possibly react to the starting gun, the timekeeper signals a false start.

2010

The starting gun reinvented

The problem with the old-fashioned starting gun was that sound travels slower than light. This meant, especially in athletics, that the runner closest to the gun had a slight advantage because he heard the starting signal a fraction of a second before everyone else. Similarly, the runner furthest away from the gun was at the greatest disadvantage. And that's a big problem when every millisecond counts.

That is why Omega developed the new electronic starting pistol first introduced at the shorttrack and speed skating competitions in Vancouver. This sleek, bright red device consists of a flash gun and a sound generator. When skating, it was connected to speakers on the side of the ice so that everyone heard the signal at exactly the same time. When the starter squeezes the trigger, three things happen simultaneously: a sound is 'played', a flash of light is emitted and a start pulse is given to the timekeeping device. Incidentally, the new device also proved useful at airports and stadiums.

Indeed, due to increasingly stringent security measures, it became very difficult to get past customs with a classic starting gun.

2016

Precision in athletics

Omega brought a plethora of new technology to Rio. Perhaps attracting the most attention was Omega 's Scan'O'Vision MYRIA. It could record up to 10,000 digital images per second as athletes crossed the finish line. The improved light sensitivity also meant that the images were of higher quality than previous versions. Next-generation photocell technology was also introduced in Rio. Instead of two photocells, there were now four, all integrated into one unit. With four photocells in operation, more body patterns could be detected when athletes crossed the line, which meant a truly accurate finishing time could be recorded.

2024

Paris

For the 31st time since 1932, Omega will act as official timekeeper for all 329 Olympic events in 32 sports, followed by the Paralympic Games starting on 28 August. Held at some of the city's most iconic venues, Paris 2024 will mark the next leap forward in modern timekeeping. During these Games, 500 Omega employees will travel to Paris, who will also be paid by the IOC for their work (timekeepers, photo-finishers, etc), as well as 2,000 volunteers to help lay cables and make various preparations.

The watch

This special 43 mm Speedmaster Chronoscope collection consists of four models, each presented in the gold, black and white colours of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It comes in full stainless steel with an anodised aluminium bezel and with a ceramic bezel and 18K Moonshine Gold case. And then you can also choose leather or metal strap. Most striking is the silver-white opaline dial, a design from the 1940s. It includes a tachymeter scale, a pulsometer scale and a telemeter scale. It is the beautiful tribute to the accurate and all-encompassing timekeeping provided by Omega for the Olympics since 1932. On the back of the watch you will find a stamped medallion with, partly matt, partly polished, the Paris 2024 logo. Pictured model costs €10,900. www.omegawatches.com or www.schaapcitroen.nl