The Olympic battle cry of faster, higher, stronger will be given a space-age spin during the Sydney Olympics with tracking devices, digital images, speed sensors and micro chips galore being used in a variety of sports. Thousands of spectators and millions of television viewers worldwide will be updated with the speed of athletes in their long jump and pole vault run ups and see a digital image of close finishes.
Photo finishes are old technology with digital cameras replacing conventional film.
Swatch, the official timekeeper of the Games, claim the cameras will relay images directly onto a computer which flashes pictures to stadium screens and broadcasters for worldwide television distribution. Every part of the body or bike or boat is on the finish line at the particular time the image is recorded. In the long jump and pole vault we are going to provide the peak speed during an athlete's run up. In the past it was just a case of how far or how high they jumped, now runway speed can be illustrated. Marathon runners will also be tracked every step of the way thanks to tiny transponder chips in their shoelaces.