Creating Inspiration Together
Seiko sponsors sporting events, with a particular focus on track and field, marathons, and swimming. Here, we introduce some of the sports we sponsor.
- ALL
- Track and Field
- Swimming
- Other Sports
Track and Field
Seiko’s deep connection with sports began with the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Until then, electronic timing had only been used on an experimental basis. However, in line with the Olympic organizing committee’s theme of “Science Olympics,” Seiko developed 1,278 brand new timing devices, including big advances in events such as track and field. With this technology, Seiko comprehensively opened the era of electronic timing in international sports. As a result, the Tokyo Olympics became known as the first Games in history where there were no complaints about the finish order of races or the accuracy of the timing.
Seiko and
World Athletics
Seiko and World Athletics have worked together for decades in various competitions, building a strong relationship.
Seiko has been in a partnership with World Athletics since 1985, timing over 190 World Athletics-hosted events to date. Seiko has been the official timer for the World Athletics Championships, the world’s premier athletics competition, for 18 consecutive events since the second Rome Championships back in 1987. Through close collaboration with World Athletics, Seiko has captured inspiring moments at numerous international competitions, earning the trust of World Athletics management, international athletes, and millions of spectators for over 30 years.
Seiko Golden Grand Prix — A Gathering of the World’s Top Athletes
This event, which is branded with the Seiko name, is a Gold-certified event on the Continental Tour organized by World Athletics, attracting top athletes from around the world. It is also designated as a selection event for Japanese representatives to international competitions such as the World Athletics Championships and the Summer Olympics. Seiko has supported this event as a title sponsor and official timer since the days when it was called the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
Marathon Events
Seiko is the official timer for many marathon events.
The Tokyo Marathon, Japan’s largest urban marathon, sees approximately 38,000 runners race through the city streets every year. Seiko has been the official timer for this event since it began.
Seiko also sponsors the Nagoya Women’s Marathon, Hofu Yomiuri Marathon, and Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, among others.
Timing and Measurement in Track and Field
Track competitions are sometimes decided by times as short as 1/100th of a second. Accurately recording these micro-timings is essential for the success of such events, and this is a crucial role for Seiko.
In the following section, we would like to introduce Seiko’s timing and measurement systems that help to support track and field competitions.
Starting Pistol
Three things happen instantaneously at the beginning of each race: the starting pistol fires, the timer starts automatically, and, an electronic starting sound issues from speakers installed in the starting blocks and around the inner track. All of this happens at the same instant.
Starting Blocks
The starting blocks have built-in speakers to ensure that all the athletes hear the start sound at the same time.
The blocks also have pressure sensors that detect the pressure of an athlete’s foot on the footplate, which helps to judge false starts.
Starting Information
System
This system monitors the pressure of the athlete’s foot on the footplate and measures the reaction time from the start signal to the athlete’s response.
If the reaction time is less than 1/10th of a second (i.e., the athlete moves before hearing the start signal), that is judged a false start, and the next pistol sound automatically recalls the race for a restart.
Swimming
As the sole official timer of the Japan Swimming Federation, Seiko supports prestigious domestic competitions such as the Japan Open and Japan Championships by constantly improving our state-of-the-art technology. Seiko also provides real-time updates on the competitions over the Internet, delivering the excitement of these intense underwater battles as well as precise timing and ranking information to audiences far from the competition venues.
Timing and Measurement in Swimming
In swimming, accurate timing and measurement play a crucial role in determining the winners, and Seiko timing and measurement systems have supported numerous races.
This page introduces Seiko’s timing and measurement systems that are used in swimming competitions.
Touch Pad
The touch pads installed on the turn and goal sides do not react to water pressure or splashes, but can accurately detect a swimmer’s touch and send a signal to the main timing system, the printing timer.
Starting Blocks
The starting blocks features a non-slip surface and a footplate that can be adjusted in five increments forward or backward to ensure a secure start for the swimmers. The starting block is equipped with sensors that detect the moment the swimmer’s feet leave the block and send a signal to the main timing system, the “printing timer.”
Starting Pistol
The signal from the starting pistol simultaneously triggers the starting sound from each starting block and from speakers on both sides of the pool.
Judo
Since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Seiko has supported the traditional Japanese martial art of judo. Currently, as an official supplier to the All Japan Judo Federation, Seiko provides both timing and score display services for major domestic competitions. While judo matches are decided by techniques, Seiko plays a crucial role in measuring both match times and hold-down times, which can determine the outcome of bouts.
Skating
As the sole official timing partner of the Japan Skating Federation for speed skating, Seiko serves as the official timer for major speed skating competitions held in Japan, including international events such as the World Cup. In speed skating, athletes race around a 400m track at speeds of approximately 60 km/h. Even in the harsh conditions on a big ice rink, Seiko accurately measures times to 1/1000th of a second to support the competitions.
Gymnastics
As the official partner of the Japan Gymnastics Association, Seiko provides timing and result display services for major competitions such as the All Japan Gymnastics Championships.
In gymnastics, men compete in floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar, while women compete in vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. Multiple events are held simultaneously in the same venue.
Amidst this tight schedule of overlapping or simultaneous events, Seiko instantly aggregates the judges’ scores and accurately measures the times for both men’s and women’s floor exercises and women’s balance beam, as well as providing clear displays of the results to inform both the athletes and the spectators.
Team Seiko Athletes
Team Seiko athletes inspire others, particularly young people, through their outstanding achievements in sport.
They also embody Seiko’s group purpose of “creating a future filled with smiles worldwide.”
