Throwback: this photo finish process from 1976 Olympics is crazy

Every once in a while, we stop and appreciate how far technology has come, and how much easier it is to get things. In 2023, once you finish a race, you instantly know your result, but it wasn’t always like that. This insane video of Guy Drut from the 1976 Olympics shows how difficult the process of a photo finish used to be.

Looking back, it’s clear that France’s Drut crosses the line in first to win the men’s 110m hurdles, but the race was apparently too close to call. Drut waits patiently as the film gets developed and put into a processing device to show who crossed the line to win gold. Can you imagine the nerves coursing through your body while you wait for the photo to be developed?

It’s also epic how Drut knew he won the race but needed the thumbs-up from the film crew to make sure. And maybe film processing should’ve been an Olympic sport… Look at those relay-style hand-offs to get this film developed; truly a one-of-a-kind video.

This video will make you appreciate how easy it is to watch track and field today. Thank goodness for chip timing.