2 replies294 views0 photos
Kong's post from 2010 offers a fascinating glimpse into Omega's preparations for the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, underscoring their critical role as Official Timekeeper. This article details the kickoff event, featuring key figures like IOC President Jacques Rogge and Omega President Stephen Urquhart, and highlights the brand's enduring legacy in precision sports timing.
Press Release
OMEGA kicks off
Olympic activities in Vancouver
IOC and VANOC officials celebrate with the
Official Timekeeper
IOC President Jacques Rogge & President of OMEGA Stephen
Urquhart
Stephen
Urquhart, the president of OMEGA, was joined by IOC President Jacques
Rogge, Vancouver Olympic Games Organising Committee President John
Furlong and other officials and special guests including swimming legend
Alexander Popov.
Stephen Urquhart recalled that he
had stood on the same spot exactly three years earlier for the
dedication of the clock. He expressed his enthusiasm for the venues in
Vancouver and Whistler and reflected that this year’s edition of the
Olympic Games is the third to be contested in Canada – all of the timed
by OMEGA. Referring to OMEGA’s long relationship with the IOC, he said,
“When we extended our agreement through 2020, both OMEGA and the IOC
expressed how highly we value this association. The Olympic Games is the
most prestigious sporting event in the world and we are very proud to
be a part of it.”
Jacques Rogge echoed his sentiments and talked
about how the IOC first came to work with OMEGA in 1932. Prior to that
date, judges and timekeepers had brought their own stopwatches. “We
needed someone who could give us harmonization of timekeeping,” Rogge
said, “and we turned to OMEGA. We have trusted them ever since.” Rogge
added that the Countdown Clock in every Olympic city plays an essential
role. “It is a reminder of exactly when everything must be ready – we
will never change the time of the Opening Ceremony of an Olympic Games.”
John
Furlong said that he was excited to see the clock counting down the
final hours. “We are thrilled and delighted with our partnership with
OMEGA. We need perfection and they provide it. It is a certainty that at
some point in the days ahead, precise timing will determine the
difference between a gold and a silver medal and we know that we can
count on OMEGA to deliver the correct result immediately.”
After
the ceremony, Presidents Urquhart, Rogge and Furlong posed in an OMEGA
bobsleigh with Alexander Popov before crossing Hornby Street to the
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and visiting the OMEGA Lounge on the 14th floor
of the hotel where they chatted with OMEGA staff and invited guests.
The
Lounge features a scale-model of a bobsleigh run as well as displays of
some of OMEGA’s historic sports timekeeping equipment, including some
chronograph stopwatches used to time Olympic events and some early
versions of the photofinish camera.
OMEGA is responsible for
timekeeping, data handling and the display of results for each event at
every venue. While no one knows in advance who will top this year’s
medal table, one thing is certain: the winners’ outstanding performances
will be timed by OMEGA.
Key Points from the Discussion
- The technical aspects of timekeeping, while invaluable to major sports and the Olympics, are often not fully appreciated by the general public.
- Without precise timing, there would be no objective references for games or entertainment, emphasizing the crucial, though often unacknowledged, backend complexity of such events.
Advertisement
Continue the conversation
This thread is active on the Omega forum with 2 replies. Share your knowledge with fellow collectors.
Join the Discussion →
