OMEGA Timekeeping Technology At the Paralympic Games

When it comes to precision, OMEGA’s high standards never change. This summer, the Swiss watchmaker is tasked with measuring every event at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 – and the brand will fulfil the role using some specially adapted technologies, along with the very same trusted systems that were used at the Olympic Games just a few weeks ago.

240 on-site OMEGA timekeepers will be situated within the venues in Paris, supported by 150 tonnes of equipment. Some of the iconic OMEGA technologies that are used across both Olympic and Paralympic events include the electronic starting pistols; the swimming touchpads, which allow athletes to stop their own time at the end of a race; and the Quantum Timer, the modern version of a stopwatch which is accurate to one millionth of a second.

To ensure consistent excellence across the many categories, OMEGA has also developed or adapted several timekeeping systems for the unique benefit of the judges and Paralympic athletes. These include: The Starting Light for deaf athletes. Used in athletics and swimming, this flash light system consists of two lamps placed approximately 10 meters ahead of the start. They each emit a bright burst of light at the same time that the electronic pistol is triggered.

The Extra Photocell for wheelchair races is used in all disciplines. Instead of the traditional ribbon on the finish line of races, photocell technology emits infrared beams. As soon as the winning athlete crosses those beams, their unofficial winning time is instantly recorded. Also used at the Olympic Games, OMEGA recalibrates the photocell system for the Paralympic Games, adding a lower fifth beam to detect the unique body patterns of athletes during wheelchair events. Note that the official times of races are always taken from the photofinish image, which measures from the middle of the front wheel.

Factored Timing is used across multiple events at the Paralympic Games to create a fair playing field for everyone. Final results take into account the varying impairments of each athlete, so that those from different disability classifications can compete equally against each other. For OMEGA, this means recalibrating the timers to run slower for some competitors, with a factor that has been approved by the governing bodies. In sports such as athletics and cycling, the gold medal goes to the athlete with the fastest factored time.

Also keep an eye out for several unique Paralympic Games sports that give OMEGA an extra opportunity for score keeping and official results. These include the precision ball sport of Boccia, as well as Goalball, a team sport specifically designed for athletes with a vision impairment.