The 41st edition of the Seville Marathon experienced a finish that will remain in memory. The Ethiopians Shura Kitata and Asrar Abderehman fought shoulder to shoulder until the finish line, recording an identical time of 2:03:58. The final decision required analysis of the photo finish, which gave the victory to Kitata. This record is the second fastest mark in the history of the event.
Photo Finish Technology: Millimeter Precision in Massive Events 📸
Systems like the one used in Seville employ a high-speed linear scan camera, which captures a composite image from a pixel sensor in a single line. Instead of full frames, it continuously scans the finish line, generating a temporal strip where each runner's position is recorded with a temporal resolution of up to 0.001 seconds. The software then analyzes the torso position to determine which athlete broke the vertical plane of the finish line first.
When Your Sports Watch Isn't Enough for the Post-Marathon Coffee ☕
Imagine the scene: after 42 kilometers, both athletes look at their heart rate monitors and see the same time. Kitata, still with some breath left, suggests taking a quick pulse to see who pays for the first coffee. Abderehman, smarter, suggests checking the official photo instead, because with that level of fatigue, even counting coins can be an additional endurance test. In the end, the technology avoided an argument that might have required another race to resolve.