Timing Tasks and Results
The chip timing task in a running event can generally be described as follows.
On a pre-planned race course, there is a start line, multiple intermediate points, and a finish line. Dozens to tens of thousands of participants start from the start line, running through each intermediate point in sequence, and finally reach the finish line. The goal is to record the time it takes for each participant to reach the finish line.
Figure 1.1: Track from start to finish
Other types of events, such as bicycle races, go-kart races, triathlons, etc., also use chip timing, which can be referenced based on the task description above. The main differences lie in the participants' speeds and the rules of the event.
1. Event Results
Event results are primarily divided into gun time and chip time.
Gun time, also known as official time, is the time from the sound of the starting gun until the participant crosses the finish line.
Chip time, is the time taken by the participant from the starting line to the finish line. According to Article 19.25 of the World Athletics "Athletics Technical Rules 2025 Edition," chip time cannot be considered as the official time.
In addition, broadly speaking, results also include the gun time and chip time at each split point and various rankings and other related data.
2. Three Important Times
To calculate the gun time and chip time, the following method of subtracting natural time is used.
Gun start time refers to the natural time at which the starting gun emits the signal, for example, 8:00:01.35 on September 11, 2025.
Start time (or start line time) refers to the natural time when a participant passes the start line after receiving the starting signal, for example, 8:00:10.78 on September 11, 2025. Due to the large number of participants in running events, participants typically stand behind the start line before the gunshot, so it takes some time for them to reach the start line after the gunshot, which leads to the start time being later than the gun start time.
Finish time refers to the natural time when the participant crosses the finish line, for example, 10:34:35.88 on September 11, 2025.
From the definitions above, the following formulas can be derived:
- Gun time = Finish time - Gun start time
- Chip time = Finish time - Start time
Additionally, time used before start can be calculated as:
- Time used before start = Start time - Gun start time
Figure 1.2: Results and the three important times
