In elite events the time is measured as follows: The timing starts when the starter pulls the trigger on the starting pistol, the message is transmitted via a transducer to the photo finish mechanism. The athlete is photographed at the finish line by a camera and the time is printed on a scale alongside the photograph.
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have a good sprint start out of the blocks, and keep yourself low, just like the professionals. Then reach your maximum speed and run as fast as you can. And dont forget to dip over the line, as it is your chest crossing the line that gets timed.
In elite competitions the races are timed by photo-finish equipment. The starter's gun is connected to the equipment such that when the gun is fired the timing equipment is started.
The 'film' moves while the camera stays fixed on the finish line such that the photo produced is a little like a time-lapse of the finish line, i.e. every point on the photo is the finish line.
The time is measured by a vertical line corresponding to the furthest forward part of the athlete's torso. Where the line hits a time scale displayed on the bottom of the photo is the athlete's time - recorded to the next highest 1/100 of a second, e.g. if the line hits the scale at 9.991 then the time is officially 10.00 whereas if it was at 9.990 the time is officially 9.99.