TEMPE, Ariz., April 11, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The 29th annual Sun Angel Track Classic, taking place today and tomorrow at Arizona State University, will put runners on the same surface that will be used at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The surface: Mondotrack.
The Sun Angel Track Classic will showcase an outstanding field of athletes including multiple NCAA champions, national collegiate record holders and an Olympic gold medalist. The expected 900-plus competitors include athletes from University of Arkansas, Auburn University, Duke University, University of Florida, University of Michigan, Ohio State University and University of Washington.
ASU installed the new track earlier this year, making Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium the first U.S. facility with a Mondotrack surface. The Sun Angel Track Classic is the first major meet to be held at the venue since then.
Developed by Mondo, a global leader in the sports flooring market, the highly advanced surface was designed to provide optimal traction and a greater contact area than other tracks. It takes the maximum amount of force generated by athletes' foot strikes and converts it to energy for maximum energy return, which helps athletes achieve faster times than when running on other surfaces. Mondotrack also provides excellent athletic comfort and maximum safety.
"The Sun Angel Track Classic is one of college track and field's premier meets, and we're proud that student-athletes and post-collegiate athletes will be competing on the same surface that Olympians will be using in Beijing," said Greg Kraft, head coach of ASU's track and field team. "Our teams have loved training on the track since it was installed, and we're looking forward to competing with some of the nation's best athletes on a track that should help all participants run their fastest."
Mondo tracks are installed at more than 1,100 venues globally. Recognized around the world as the fastest, most durable and environmentally safest tracks available, Mondo tracks have been used in the past eight Olympic Games, and the company is the official supplier to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing for athletic tracks. Mondo also is a sponsor of the Sun Angel Track Classic.
"Many athletes have achieved faster times when running on Mondo tracks versus other surfaces," said Federico Stroppiana, president of Mondo North and South America. "Nearly 230 world records and countless national and personal bests have been set on Mondo tracks."
Home to the 2007 NCAA Women's Indoor and Outdoor Champions, Sun Angel Stadium opened for competition in 1976. In May, it will host the Pac-10 Championships for the fourth time. (It previously hosted the 1979, 1991 and 1999 meets.) In all, Sun Angel Stadium has been the home venue for 21 Olympians and seven medalists (five gold, one silver and one bronze), including recent gold medalists Dwight Phillips (2004, long jump) and Nick Hysong (2000, pole vault). It also has been the training home for winners of 30 NCAA championships, including 27 individual titles and three relay crowns.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports flooring market, manufacturing floor surfaces for virtually every sport. The official supplier of the athletic track and basketball and handball courts of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Mondo also is the official supplier or official sponsor of more than 100 sports federations and associations, including FIBA, IAAF, Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, NIRSA, U.S. Track Coaches Association and YMCA.
The company also supplies a wide variety of commercial flooring and is the world's largest producer of sports and toy balls with an average daily production of 450,000 units. In addition, it manufactures large luxury yachts under its Mondomarine division.
Mondo invests heavily in research and development to ensure its products meet the highest quality standards in the industry, deliver optimal athletic performance, are durable, require minimal maintenance and are environmentally safe.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, Mondo's global headquarters are in Italy. The company has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia and sells its products in more than 196 countries. More information about Mondo is available at www.mondousa.com.
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Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.