Cover Omega helped determined the final decision on Team USA’s Noah Lyles results for Men’s 100m Final of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 4, 2024 in Paris (Photo: Getty Images)
Omega helped determined the final decision on Team USA’s Noah Lyles results for Men’s 100m Final of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 4, 2024 in Paris (Photo: Getty Images)
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Ahead of the closing ceremony on August 11, Omega’s president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann shares how the brand has transformed the Olympic Games, enhancing accuracy and viewer experience
In the suspenseful blur of the final moments in the Paris 2024 Olympics men’s 100m dash, it seemed impossible to determine who the winner was as American Noah Lyles and Jamaican Kishane Thompson crossed the finish line in a virtual dead heat.
For the breathless viewers, it looked like a perfect tie, both men finishing at the same 9.78 seconds—until 30 seconds later when OMEGA’s cutting-edge photofinish cameras revealed its incredible power.
“Our cameras were able to zoom in and separate the racers, proving that Noah was five thousandths of a second ahead,” recounts Omega president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann. “That level of precision only comes from Omega.” Lyles edged past Thompson by posting a time of 9.784 to Thompson’s 9.789, taking home the gold for America.
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These technological advancements do more than just record times, and as Aeschlimann says they enrich the viewer’s experience and “bring extra drama to the events and show you how they were won or lost.”
Above President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann on Omega’s long-term partnership with Olympics as timekeeper: “This is an authentic identity. It’s not sponsorship.”
President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann on Omega’s long-term partnership with Olympics as timekeeper: “This is an authentic identity. It’s not sponsorship.”
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From revealing live positions of runners to displaying the number of strokes a swimmer takes, Omega has been the Game’s official timekeeper for 92 years. “When we began in 1932, we had 30 stopwatches accurate to 1/10th of a second,” Aeschlimann explains.
“But it still relied on the reactions of the human eye, which were often unreliable and inconsistent.” Today, Omega’s electronic systems leave “no results in doubt.”
And as Paris 2024 wraps up this weekend, Omega is already looking ahead to its centenary of Olympic timekeeping in the 2032 Brisbane Games, where Aeschlimann envisions further advancements with AI and motion sensors to help pinpoint more in-depth data for each sport, “It will really reveal the exact moments where an event was won.”
Here, Aeschlimann shares more about how the brand’s commitment to technological innovation has transformed the accuracy, drama, and storytelling of the Olympic experience for close to a century.
How have the advancements in sports timekeeping technology influenced the accuracy of Olympic results?
The evolution of Omega’s timekeeping innovation has been critical, not only for accurate results at the Olympic Games but to the wider sports competitions. When we began in 1932, we had 30 stopwatches that were accurate to 1/10th of a second. But it still relied on the reactions of the human eye, which were often unreliable and inconsistent.
In the past 92 years, Omega has introduced electronic systems that leave no results in doubt. For example, the touchpads in swimming or the photofinish cameras in athletics can record 40,000 images per second at the finish line of races. Today, the accuracy is absolute.
We saw it in Paris in 2024 when Noah Lyles won the 100m final. That was the closest 100m final in history, and the clarity of the result was only possible because of Omega.
In what ways do you think these technological advancements enhance the viewer's experience of the Games?
Omega is bringing clear understanding to the sports we watch. Now we can bring extra drama to the events and show you how they were won or lost. For example, during events, we can reveal the live positions of runners, their live speeds, or even small details like the number of strokes that a swimmer takes. It’s not just about the final times. It’s about showing every detail from start to finish and telling the full story.
Yes, we have a heritage that is great for storytelling, but in practice, we have to keep pushing our technology forward. The athletes are going “faster, higher, and stronger” at every edition, so our equipment must keep pace.
How do you ensure precision and accuracy in timekeeping for such a diverse range of sports?
That’s where our experience really matters. Omega has been at the Olympic Games for 92 years, so we have developed that knowledge across so many different sports. In Paris, there are 329 events in 32 different sports. It’s a huge job and the most challenging aspect of our timekeeping role.
Sometimes we can use the same technology across multiple sports, but sometimes we have developed very specific equipment for an individual event. We work closely with the independent sporting federations to improve precision and see what we can do to benefit the athletes, judges, and spectators.
What has been the most challenging event to time accurately, and how did Omega overcome it?
The most challenging sport has traditionally been swimming. With the athletes underwater, it was always extremely difficult to see who touched the finish first. Until the 1960s, the results were sometimes quite controversial.
In 1968, Omega introduced the swimming touchpads, which are still used today. They are positioned at the ends of the pool. As soon as a swimmer touches the pad at the end of a race, their finish time is automatically recorded. That means the results are now undeniable. The touchpads are one of Omega’s greatest success stories in timekeeping.
Right now, our Computer Vision technology places special cameras around the venues, which feed our AI software. This immediately reveals interesting data, such as the speed of a volleyball, the reaction time of a tennis serve, or even the angles of a gymnast’s feet.
How does Omega balance its heritage with the need for technological innovation in sports timekeeping?
Our watchmaking and timekeeping should be seen as two different things. Of course, we have a wonderful heritage in the creation of timepieces, which we celebrate today in our collections. However, in timekeeping, innovation is most important.
Yes, we have a heritage that is great for storytelling, but in practice, we have to keep pushing our technology forward. The athletes are going “faster, higher, and stronger” at every edition, so our equipment must keep pace. For that reason, the development and evolution is constant.
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Above In a dramatic Men’s 100m final, two athletes recorded the exact same finishing time of 9.79 seconds, but Omega’s photofinish camera was able to split the sprinters and show that Noah Lyles took the gold medal by a margin of five milliseconds (Photo: Instagram/@omega)
In a dramatic Men’s 100m final, two athletes recorded the exact same finishing time of 9.79 seconds, but Omega’s photofinish camera was able to split the sprinters and show that Noah Lyles took the gold medal by a margin of five milliseconds (Photo: Instagram/@omega)
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Can you describe a moment when Omega’s timekeeping technology significantly impacted an Olympic event?
Yes, I can give you two. The first was in Beijing in 2008 when Michael Phelps won the 100m Butterfly event by 0.01 seconds. That’s the closest possible result in swimming. But it was Omega’s technology that was able to prove it.
Then, at Paris 2024, Noah Lyles was in the 100m final. He and the silver medallist finished at the exact same time. But our photofinish cameras were able to zoom in and separate the racers, proving that Noah was five-thousandths of a second ahead. That level of precision only comes from Omega.
How do you see the future of sports timekeeping evolving with emerging technologies like AI and motion sensors?
AI is already playing a big role in Omega’s timekeeping. The future is all about storytelling. Right now, our Computer Vision technology places special cameras around the venues, which feed our AI software. This immediately reveals interesting data, such as the speed of a volleyball, the reaction time of a tennis serve, or even the angles of a gymnast’s feet.
As we keep moving forward, these systems are going to help us pinpoint even more in-depth data in each sport. It will really reveal the exact moments where an event was won.
Omega has been the Official Timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932. How has this long-term partnership shaped Omega’s brand identity?
What the Olympic Games shows is that Omega can be trusted in the biggest moments. It establishes us as a reliable brand that stands for quality, precision, and innovation. It’s a huge part of our DNA, and it is totally unique. This is an authentic identity. It’s not sponsorship. So, it has shaped us in a very genuine and positive way.
Looking ahead, what are Omega’s goals and aspirations for its future involvement with the Olympic Games?
In 2032, we will reach 100 years of timekeeping. That event will take place in Brisbane, and I’m sure it will make us feel extremely proud. We’ve developed such a strong relationship with the IOC and I see us continuing very well into the future. Our only aspirations are to keep serving the athletes well. They depend on us. Their whole careers can hinge on a few split-seconds. So our commitment and future remains entirely to their needs.
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Lynette loves travelling and dancing to Latin music almost as much as she enjoys period films and pastry desserts. She is constantly in search of the perfect nude lipstick and finds her best ideas through walks in nature.
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As the Editor-in-Chief of Tatler Malaysia, Lynette leads the content teams for print, digital and social media platforms of the brand. She has over 20 years experience in media, having been editorial director and editor-in-chief for lifestyle titles such as Cleo, ELLE, Esquire, Men’s Health, and Women’s Health.
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