WHEN Olympic sprinters dash down the track in Beijing this August, the fastest athlete may not always take home the gold medal. That is because the design of the start-gun system gives athletes on the inside lanes, who are nearer to the gun, an unfair advantage straight off the blocks. They react more quickly because the tone is louder and they hear it sooner than runners who are further away. Though officials are aware of the problem, they have no plans to correct it before the Olympic games this summer.
“Athletes closer to the start gun not only hear the bang earlier but the loudness…
