KENT, Ohio, Feb. 25, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Feb. 27 and 28, Kent State University will welcome more than 500 student-athletes to the 2009 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships. Those student-athletes will be competing in the newly renovated Kent State Fieldhouse, which features a new scoreboard, record board and lighting, as well as an upgrade that all competitors will appreciate: a new six-lane, 292-meter Mondotrack.
Mondotrack is the same track surface that was used for the 2008 Olympic Games. Kent State officials selected Mondotrack for the fieldhouse renovation in part because of Mondo's long history of manufacturing superior athletic surfaces. "Mondo is a leader in the industry," said Andre Seoldo, Kent State's associate athletic director. "If Mondotrack met the standards for the Beijing Olympics, it certainly meets Kent State's standards of quality."
The Kent State installation was finished last summer, and Kent State athletes and students have been using it since then. But Seoldo is eager to see what happens when some of the region's top athletes put Mondotrack to the test during the MAC championships. "We're very excited to host this meet and showcase our facility," he said. "Those who haven't been here for a while are in for a real treat. I fully expect that records will be broken."
More than 230 world records have been set on Mondo tracks, including five at the 2008 Olympics. "Athletes all over the world have come to trust Mondo for our superior track surfaces and demonstrated performance benefits," said Federico Stroppiana, president of Mondo North and South America. "The success of athletes competing on Mondo speaks for itself, and we're proud to help them produce personal bests and world-record results."
Mondotrack builds upon the success of Mondo's world-renowned Super X Performance track, which has been the world's top track for more than 30 years and was the track of the eight Olympic Games before the 2008 Games in Beijing. Mondotrack was designed to provide optimal traction and a greater contact area than other tracks. It converts the maximum amount of force generated by athletes' foot strikes to energy for maximum energy return, which helps athletes achieve faster times compared to running on other surfaces. Mondotrack also provides excellent athletic comfort and maximum safety with the optimum blend of speed and comfort to accommodate both high competition and training venues.
About Kent State
Kent State University is Ohio's second-largest university, with more than 35,000 students on eight campuses. Founded in 1910, the university is nationally recognized for its undergraduate programs, innovative research and graduate studies. During the past 15 years, Kent State sports programs have won 208 individual MAC titles, 72 team championships and 75 All-America honors.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports flooring market, manufacturing floor surfaces for virtually every sport. More than 1,100 Mondo tracks and 800 Mondo artificial turf fields are installed worldwide. The official supplier of the athletic track for the past nine Olympic Games, 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 Mondo Marine 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.
Mondo and Mondotrack are registered trademarks of Mondo.
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