Timing at sports events.

[ratty]

Hello everyone.

I've been watching the athletics on the TV and I've been trying to work out how events such as the 100m sprint is so accurately timed.

Does anyone know how it's done? How can 8 lanes be individually and accurately timed to 1/100 of a second?

Thanks in advance.

[Crazycarwes]

Who knows but those dudes are fast!

[ManUtd]

From answers.com:

In elite events the time is measured as follows:

The timing starts when the starter pulls the trigger on the starting pistol, the message is transmitted via a transducer to the photo finish mechanism.

The athlete is photographed at the finish line by a camera and the time is printed on a scale alongside the photograph.

[Anna Tessa]

Originally Posted by ManUtd

From answers.com:

So... No Rolexes involved?

[mtrunner]

Track and Field is timed based on a system called fully automated timing. The starters gun is connected to the electronic timing/photo system. Once the start gun goes off then the time begins and once they cross the line the electronic timing is stopped for each runner. There are also photo finishes of the races if they need to determine who indeed won.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fully_Automatic_Time

[TswaneNguni]

When I did 1/4 mile dragracing it was timed to 1/1000th of a second.

[ratty]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

Track and Field is timed based on a system called fully automated timing. The starters gun is connected to the electronic timing/photo system. Once the start gun goes off then the time begins and once they cross the line the electronic timing is stopped for each runner. There are also photo finishes of the races if they need to determine who indeed won.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fully_Automatic_Time

But how is it determined when each runner crosses the line individually?

[brkanand]

Multiple camera eyes for each lane?