The speed of sound and nerves
The technology behind the blocks
Famous starting line controversies
Training the mind and muscles
YOUR GOAL
Master of The ultimate split second
dave Olympic Starting Blocks
Don't jump the gun, don't jump the gun! Can't react faster than a tenth of a second!
dave Automated recall systems immediately alert officials and runners if a false start occurs.
dave The traditional gunpowder pistol has been replaced by a silent, electronic trigger system.
dave Learn how Olympic starting blocks detect false starts and measure the split-second reaction times that decide the 100m sprint.
Olympic block measurements: Modern starting blocks measure a runner's pressure and force 4,000 times every single second to detect false starts.
A shaped block against which a runner presses their feet at the start of a race. The devices were first officially permitted at the Olympic Games during the 1948 London competition.
Which Swiss company is famous for developing the Olympic starting blocks and timing systems?
In what year and city were the electronic, silent starting pistols first introduced in the Winter Games?
How much force must a runner exert on the starting blocks to trigger a false start detection?