Off Track ...

Enhanced Timing

Peter Huerzeler, a member of the OMEGA timing board, recently introduced the timekeeping systems used in swimming events at the Aquatics Centre during London Games.

The swimmers launch from modified starting blocks. The blocks feature an adjustable slanted foot-rest designed to allow swimmers to use a crouch start with the rear-positioned leg at a 90-degree angle at the knee. It generates an optimal starting profile, which is the power input a swimmer generates against the block from the starting signal until he leaves the block.

With an enhanced resolution of one-millionth of a second, the timer is part of a new generation of timing products. The resolution is 100 times greater than with previous devices. It also delivers precision of 0.1 parts per million, which means there is a maximum variation of only one second out of ten million seconds.

The previous devices had precision of 0.5 ppm so in this respect, the new ones are five times as accurate.

High-speed video cameras were placed above the pool at the end of each lane and provided a reliable back-up.

Champion Sculptures

Two sculptures featuring Chinese swimmers Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen will soon be built in front of a local stadium in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province.

Zhao Rongfu, the director of the Hangzhou Sports Bureau, said Sun and Ye have become a "name card" for the city after their achievement at the London Games.

"The number of sculptures featuring Olympic champions of Hangzhou will be added from four to six. You two will soon have your own ones," Zhao said.

Sun scooped the 1,500m and 400m freestyle gold at the London Games, while Ye also won two gold, in the 200m and 400m individual medley.

In addition, Sun and Ye have been reportedly given apartments, each worth about 3 million yuan ($471,668), by a local property developer.

Los Angeles Lakers teammates Kobe Bryant and Pau will face off when the US takes on Spain for the gold medal in men's basketball on Sunday.

While both aspire to take home a gold for their respective countries, on Friday both were also thinking about Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic center who was traded to the Lakers.

Gasol said the move will give the Lakers a huge boost.

"It puts us in a position of trying to win the championship and going after it," he said. "There's going to be expectations of being a very strong and powerful team, and we like that."

Bryant was even more exuberant, proclaiming that the Lakers are "locked and loaded to bring back the title."

He spoke with Howard on Friday morning, and interrupted his pursuit of a gold medal to talk about the years to come in Los Angeles.

Bronze appeal fails

China lost its appeal seeking to have hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu awarded the bronze medal over an unusual technical glitch during the women's final on Friday.

The 26-year-old Asian record holder had thought that despite a foul throw in the final round she had won her second successive Olympic bronze medal with a mark of 76.34 meters.

While she set off to celebrate, the drama was unfolding.

Germany's world record holder Betty Heidler had been allowed two throws in the fifth and penultimate round.

The first one had not been able to be recorded owing to a technical error with the measuring equipment and her second one was a foul.

However, after the competition was over, officials returned to the infield and found the mark of Heidler's initial fifth round throw and were able to measure it at 77.13 (later adjusted to 77.12) which saw her edge the Chinese athlete out of the medal positions.

"I'm very upset and I'm very shocked," said Zhang after she heard the bad news but prior to the appeal being lodged.

AP - China Daily - AFP

(China Daily 08/12/2012 page7)