Athletics gets its VAR moment: How technology is redefining the sprint finish
World Athletics partners with Sony and Hawk-Eye to introduce football-style 3D computer graphics, bringing immersive virtual replays to tight track photo finishes.
In a groundbreaking development for athletics, technology is set to redefine the sport's sprint finishes. The adoption of VAR, the semi-automated offside graphic, in track and field aims to revolutionize how global audiences experience photo finishes. The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest saw Sony and World Athletics unveil a broadcast proof-of-concept that will transform split-second race decisions into immersive television.
Utilizing optical tracking technology – developed in partnership with Hawk-Eye – optical tracking captures precise athlete movement data in real-time, converting it into three-dimensional computer graphics (3DCG). This immersive technology will be used for international broadcasts, providing rights-holders with virtual, multi-angle replays that mirror the precision visuals found in elite European football.
Unlike traditional side-on slit-scan photographs, these 3D renders eliminate the ambiguity surrounding tight finish-line scrambles. By pivoting around virtual runners to highlight the exact point of impact with the finish line, viewers can better witness the critical millisecond moments that decide track events. These thousandths of a second, which have traditionally left casual viewers perplexed by two-dimensional photo-finish imagery, will now be rendered in real-time with full-body spatial mechanics.
World Athletics is not only assisting officials in making more fair calls but is also transforming the sport's millimetre-thin margins into high-drama, prime-time viewing.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
