Get Nearer the Starter’s Gun?

Do you know how the starting lanes in an Olympic foot race are allocated? In Australia, in 2000, the following guideline was published in the SOCOG Public Information:

“In the first round of heats, athletes are allocated lanes through a random computer selection. In subsequent rounds, lane selection is based on how a runner is seeded after performing in the previous round. The aim is having the better runners in the middle lanes, so a lot is drawn to allocate lanes 3, 4, 5 and 6 to the four highest-ranked athletes or teams and lanes 1, 2, 7 and 8 to the four lowest-ranked.”

These experts clearly felt that there is some advantage to certain lanes. Now a new study of data from the 2004 Olympics has found that the sprinters in the lane nearest the starter’s pistol are the ones with an advantage.

Canadian scientists analyzed the reaction times (RTs) of runners from the 100/110m events, sorting them by lane number. Those closest to the starter had significantly lower RTs. Lane 1 average was 160 ms (milliseconds), lanes 2-8, which averaged 175 ms. Then RTs were measured in volunteers with different strength gunshot noises. Increasing the decibels from 80 through 120 decibels significantly decreased RTs from 138 through 120 ms.

The scientists conclude that, in sprint events, runners closer to the starting gun have the advantage of hearing to “go” signal louder, and thereby react sooner than the other competitors. Maybe the Beijing Olympic authority will have to return to the idea of random computer selection of lanes for all races, not just the first round of heats. Or could technology help ensure that the noise level of the gun is equally spread along the starting line? Or could the starter stand behind the runners, with an assistant to judge any false starts? Ideas welcome!