Digital timing set to debut at last

The long-awaited debut of electronic timing in swimming competitions is finally set to become a reality as the Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) has completed preparations to host the 37th National Age-group Swimming and Diving Championships under electronic timing at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur from today.

The US-made Daktronics electronic timer, installed by the National Sports Council in late 2019 at a cost of Tk 4 crore as part of an Tk 8.5 crore renovation project, has remained unused in national events for five years due to faulty timekeeping.

At the time, BSF officials said the device failed to produce timings for all lanes simultaneously, forcing them to rely on traditional stopwatches, which frustrated swimmers.

"The electronic timer is now functional and providing accurate timings. We've already used it during the ongoing talent hunt programme at the National Swimming Complex," BSF general secretary Mahabubur Rahman Shahin told The Daily Star after a press conference at the BOA auditorium yesterday.

"It has been repaired with parts from different companies. We're not sure how long it will last, but we're happy to finally host the age-group championships using it," he added.

Around 550 swimmers are expected to compete in 100 events across five groups, with four additional diving events. The top three in each event will receive Tk 2,000, Tk 1,000, and Tk 500 respectively, along with medals.

"We'll also identify promising swimmers from this meet for long-term training, alongside those emerging from the 'Search for the Better Swimmers' programme," the BSF general secretary further informed, adding that the federation is also planning to organise the country's first-ever school swimming championships to increase participation nationwide.