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How Olympic Timing Works

In timed Olympic events, the difference between gold and silver can come down to a fraction of a second. You won't find that kind of accuracy in your typical wristwatch. Find out about the systems (and backup systems) that keep Olympic timing honest.

Today you'll see a selection of high-tech timekeeping devices including high-speed digital cameras, electronic touch pads, infrared beams and radio transmitters, just to name a few. Aquatics Similar to the short-distance track events, each swimmer's starting block has an attached speaker to announce the activation of the clock by the timing official, or starter. The process works the same for the individual events such as breaststroke, freestyle and backstroke, during which the swimmer registers his or her time by pressing on the contact plate at the end of the run.

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