Alain Zobrist, CEO of Swiss Timing, gives a tour of the Stade de France. The man from Bern demonstrates to the media how Omega will be keeping time at the Olympic Games in Paris.
07.08.2024, 14:52
07.08.2024, 16:09
SDA
Naturally, everyone wants the boss in front of the camera or microphone to pull the starting pistol, pose in the starting blocks or ring the bell for the last lap. Zobrist provides information eloquently and patiently, demonstrates the new finish line camera with 40,000 images per second, talks about computer vision technology and explains who sits where in the control room. "The Olympic Games need three things: athletes who take part. Someone to host them. And someone to time them."
Over 500 timekeepers in action
And when the interview marathon is over, two Swiss journalists are still waiting. "Finally a few words of Bärndütsch," says Zobrist first. He sees his role here in Paris as supporting his team. 550 timekeepers and 900 additional helpers are on duty for Omega. 350 tons of material have been transported from Switzerland to Paris and more than 200 kilometers of cable have been laid. "I don't have a fixed daily routine. We see what needs to be done every morning."
Zobrist also finds time to watch competitions. "But to be honest, sometimes I don't even know exactly who is at the start. I'm too focused on the timekeeping and our service." But he is not nervous. "We have four back-up systems and an alternative power supply. Nothing can go wrong." Omega has a huge responsibility and cannot afford to make any mistakes. "The most important thing for me, however, is that the athletes trust us and our technology."
As a boy, the man from Bern dreamed of a career as a top athlete himself, and he pushed himself in football and ice hockey. Was he once even stopped by Swiss Timing? "No, I didn't make it that far. But when I realized that it wouldn't be enough, I focused entirely on my studies."
AI also gets involved
According to Zobrist, Omega is more than just an official timekeeper. "We also provide TV stations with a complete data processing service for live broadcasts." In addition, a lot of artificial intelligence is used to support the judges, and valuable data is generated for the coaches.
Swiss Timing cannot rest on its laurels and must continue to innovate in order to retain its prestigious mandate. The current contract with the IOC runs until 2032. The watch brand from Biel has been a timekeeper at the Olympic Games for 92 years and for the 31st time in all 329 competitions. The 100th anniversary is coming up in Brisbane in 2032. A long time. In 1932, at the premiere in Los Angeles, they were already able to display the time to the nearest tenth of a second, stopped by hand.
