GAINESVILLE, Fla., May 13, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The setting is the University of Florida. The meet is the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The competitors include the top individuals from all 12 SEC schools. And the surface is the world-renowned Mondo Super X Performance track.
The 2009 SEC outdoor championships will take place on the Percy Beard Track inside UF's James G. Pressly Stadium, May 14-17, 2009. It will be the seventh time UF has hosted the conference championship, but the first time since the university installed the high-performance Super X Performance track in 2006.
"We really love the Mondo surface," said Michael Holloway, head coach for men's and women's track and field, University of Florida. "Our teams love training on the track and I love hosting competitions here because it is such a fast surface. We've seen many great performances on it."
The world's top track for more than 30 years, Mondo Super X Performance has been installed at more than 1,100 venues globally. Recognized around the world as the fastest, most durable and environmentally safest track available, it has been used in the eight Olympic Games prior to Beijing (Mondo's newest track surface, Mondotrack, was the official track of the 2008 Beijing Olympics).
Super X Performance was developed to maintain its initial physical properties throughout its life, so it provides consistent performance. "We needed a track that would withstand constant use from athletes, students and local youth clubs," Holloway said. "The Mondo surface has performed even better than we expected."
The track's vulcanized natural rubber surface provides maximum elasticity and unparalleled durability, and its embossed, textured finish makes it extremely easy to maintain with no resurfacing required. This high-performance track is renowned for its shock absorption and optimal energy return, and its ideal blend of speed and comfort minimizes the occurrence of injuries.
About the University of Florida
The University of Florida is a comprehensive land-grant research university. The state's oldest and largest university, UF is among the nation's most academically diverse public universities. UF has a long history of international education, research and service. It is one of only 17 public land-grant universities that belong to the Association of American Universities. Famous alumni athletes include NBA players Matt Bonner and Joakim Noah, NFL and Super Bowl MVP Emmitt Smith, and Heisman Trophy winners Danny Wuerffel and Steve Spurrier.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports flooring market, manufacturing floor surfaces for virtually every sport. Throughout its 60-year history, the company has invested heavily in research and development to produce cutting-edge products that meet the highest quality standards, deliver optimal athletic performance, are durable, require minimal maintenance and are environmentally safe.
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.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, Mondo sells its products in more than 196 countries. The company's global headquarters are in Italy, and it has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. More information about Mondo is available at www.mondousa.com.
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Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.