Will Track Records Be Broken at the Paris Olympics?

Track and field events are often considered some of the most exciting and eagerly anticipated events during the Summer Olympics, and this year’s Paris Olympics are no exception. For a track-and-field athlete, winning a short distance dash or marathon race is often the pinnacle to hours of rigorous training.

While a number of variables factor into track performance, one factor is providing a track surface that does not hinder their running is conducive to potentially optimizing race times. Since the 1972 Munich Olympics, a Mondo track has been used. According to an article on the news site of Georgia Tech University, these tracks have been built in Gallo d'Alba, Italy. They have been responsible for over 300 speed records, including 15 in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

According to the article, Georgia Tech has used a Mondo track since before those Olympic games. Georgia Tech Track and Field Coach Grover Hinsdale, explained, "A Mondo track is made in a climate-controlled factory, processed from the raw rubber to the finished product. So, every square inch of Mondo is the same — same durometer, same thickness, everything is the same. All other rubberized track surfaces are poured on-site, so variables like temperature and humidity affect the result, and you may end up with lanes that don't set uniformly,” he was quoted as saying.

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Hinsdale goes on to explain the interaction between the runner and surface that potentially maximizes performance. "When your foot strikes down on an asphalt surface or you're running down a sidewalk, there's virtually no give other than what's taking place in the muscles and joints of your body. The surface is giving nothing back. When your foot strikes a Mondo surface, it'll sink in slightly, and the surface gives energy back. This pushes your foot back off that track quicker, putting the foot back into the cycle to complete another stride,” he said.  

Whether track records will be broken at this year’s Olympics remains to be seen, but don’t blame it on the track surface.

You can view the video explaining the benefits of the Mondo track surface here.