The Quantum Timer that measures Olympic race times to the millionth of a second

In the Omega pavilion in San Babila, Omega explains how the tools and technicians will manage the results of all the Games' competitions

In a context like that of the Olympic Games, where even a thousandth of a second can determine the winner, having the right personnel and tools to establish timing is essential. Omega has been doing this for almost a hundred years, since 1932. Inside the pavilion in Piazza San Babila, inaugurated yesterday for Milano Cortina 2026, the company illustrates the counting system that will be implemented through an exhibition of state-of-the-art stopwatches on one side and virtual reality experiences on the other. For these Olympics, 300 Omega professionals and 250 Omega volunteers will be deployed, including technicians and engineers, to ensure the proper functioning of the timing instruments in one of the most delicate operations of the event.

"It's a huge responsibility; the timekeepers and all the staff cannot afford to make mistakes," explained Alain Zobrist, president of Omega Timing, speaking at the inauguration. "But we are very fortunate: we have the right tools and the right personnel." Zobrist emphasized that the same engineers who design the timing technologies will be present on the competition fields during the Games, in direct contact with the instruments they themselves helped develop.

What were once mechanical timekeepers and chronometers are now highly qualified specialists supported by advanced technologies: from electronic starting guns, which ensure identical conditions for all athletes, to what Zobrist calls the "heart of the system," the Quantum Timer, a stopwatch with a resolution of one millionth of a second. One of Omega's latest innovations will also debut at Milan Cortina: artificial intelligence capable of combining timing with a wide range of additional information. "Our teams can correlate parameters such as ski angle, wind, or the length of a jump," Zobrist explains. "This way, we can help athletes and coaches understand where time is being wasted and where points can be gained," he continues. One detail stands out among all this technology hanging on the walls of the pavilion, however: a bell, the same one that has always been used, and will again this year, be rung manually on the final lap of the races.

Link to the website: https://milano.repubblica.it/c...