AS Tokyo 2020 approaches, fans around the globe wait in anticipation, while athletes from different countries prepare themselves ahead of the world's largest sporting event.
At the same time, a group of people are bracing themselves for their duties that are crucial to the success of the Olympics – the official timekeepers.
Since its inaugural event at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Swiss luxury watchmaker OMEGA has been responsible for developing, evolving and implementing many of the most famous timekeeping technologies in sport.
Tokyo 2020 marks the 29th time in history that OMEGA will fulfil its roles as the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games, offering almost 90 years of experience.
But what is timekeeping, and why is it so important to the Olympics?
Timekeeping measures the exact times and distances that separate one athlete from another. In the Olympics, a stage for the world's best athletes, contests often come down to the wire – a millisecond could decide who ultimately wins the gold medal.
For instance, in 2008, Michael Phelps finished one-hundredth of a second before competitor Milorad Cavic to win gold in the 100-meter butterfly. This was confirmed thanks to a camera recording 100 frames a second.
In another scenario, Justin Kripps and Alexander Kopacz of Canada and Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis of Germany shared gold in the two-man bobsleigh competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Remarkably, both teams recorded the exact same time, down to a hundredth of a second, after four runs.
This level of precision would not be possible without timekeeping technology from OMEGA.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM HISTORY
1932 marked the first time in history that a single watch company was selected as the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games.
It was a defining moment in the history of sports measurement, where OMEGA sent one watchmaker all the way from Bienne, the metropolis of Swiss watchmaking, to Los Angeles, armed with 30 high-precision stopwatches that were accurate to the nearest 1/10th of a second.
Throughout the years, OMEGA has introduced technological breakthroughs, ranging from the first photofinish camera that pinpointed exact finish positions in races, to swimming touchpads that allowed swimmers to stop time with their own hands.
Fast forward to 2012, OMEGA's Quantum Timer in London was the beginning of the new generation of timekeeping products. The resolution was 100 times greater than previous devices, with a maximum variation of only one second out of every 10 million seconds.
PRESENT DAY TIMEKEEPING TOOLS
The electronic starting pistol. Sound travels slower than light, which means that when traditional pistols sounded, athletes in the furthest lanes would hear it later, putting them at a disadvantage. Today, OMEGA's electronic pistols are connected to speakers positioned behind each racer, giving every athlete an equal start.
Scan'O'Vision MYRIA. This photofinish camera is placed on finish lines of sprints, hurdles and other races, and can record up to 10,000 digital images per second, producing a composite photo to determine the official rankings and times of each event.
Swimming Light Show. In the past, for swimming events, it could be hard to tell the winners immediately after each race. OMEGA's innovative light system uses a single large dot, two medium-sized dots and three smaller dots of light to instantly show the outcome of a race.
OMEGA IN TOKYO 2020
There will be 339 events in 33 sports happening in Japan, and OMEGA will be measuring every second of action. This includes brand new sports for the Olympic Games, such as karate, sport climbing, surfing, baseball, softball and skateboarding.
Of course, the greatest focus will be on the determined athletes aiming for gold. Each of them has dedicated years, months and hours to reach this moment. Their dreams depend on those final results, making OMEGA's precision and equipment a vital part of every event.
This time around, OMEGA will be providing 400 tonnes of its most trusted and state-of-the-art equipment. On top of that, all hands will be on deck, with 530 trained timekeepers and on-site professionals, as well as 900 trained volunteers.
WATCHES FOR TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS
Besides being the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games, OMEGA has also come up with watches for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Collection features four OMEGA Seamaster timepieces that are a perfect celebration of the historic sporting event.
1. OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M Tokyo 2020
The 42.00mm case is in stainless steel and is mounted with a blue ceramic bezel ring filled with a white enamel diving scale. There is also a polished white ceramic dial with laser-engraved waves, along with blued indexes and hands, and the famous Seamaster name highlighted in red.
2. OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Tokyo 2020 Limited Edition
Just like the athletes at the Olympic Games, the Seamaster Aqua Terra performs beautifully on land and in the water. For this sporty Tokyo 2020 model limited to 2,020 pieces, OMEGA has introduced the collection's first ceramic dial – crafted with a polished blue finish and a laser-engraved Tokyo 2020 emblem.
3. OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Tokyo 2020 Gold Edition
Made with 18K yellow gold, considered the premium standard in watch and jewellery making, this watch stands out with its radiant gold case and blue leather strap. Appropriately, Michael Phelps–the most decorated Olympian with 23 gold medals, is one of the first few to adorn this stunning timepiece.
4. OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean Tokyo 2020 Limited Edition
Limited to 2,020 pieces, this 39.5mm stainless steel timepiece includes a polished white ceramic dial with a red-tipped central seconds hand to represent the flag of Japan. In tribute to the year of Tokyo 2020, the number 20 on the bezel is filled with red liquid ceramic.
Discover OMEGA's Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Collection here.