NEW YORK, June 11, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The June 12 Adidas Grand Prix will feature a who's who of international track and field athletes. As Olympians, world champions, and high school stars take their marks, Mondo's Super X Performance track will be underfoot.
The competition will take place at Icahn Stadium on New York's Randall's Island. The venue is one of only four U.S. track and field venues (and one of 75 internationally) to receive the prestigious IAAF Class I certification, and its Mondo Super X Performance surface provides athletes with unmatched benefits to ensure top-notch performances.
"With Mondo's Super X Performance track, I believe Icahn Stadium has the best surface in the world for both distance running and sprinting," said Louis Vazquez, track and field director for Randall's Island Sports Field. "It is the only facility in the Northeast to meet IAAF specifications for local, national and international track and field events, and we wanted to make sure all those who train and compete here have the chance to perform to the best of their ability.
"Year after year, we see times at the Adidas Grand Prix that are as fast as or faster than those at any facility around the globe, and we expect the same at this year's competition," he said.
Spectators at this year's competition will be treated to a dazzling array of athletes, including 18 Olympic and world champions and four IAAF Diamond ambassadors. World record holder and reigning Olympic champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica, recently crowned world indoor champion and four-time Olympic medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, and American sprinter Allyson Felix are scheduled to compete. The lineup also includes Olympian hurdler Danny McFarlane, (Jamaica), and sprinter Kelly-Ann Baptiste, (Trinidad and Tobago).
The Adidas Grand Prix also will feature 18 high school national or state champions in either track or cross country who will compete in the inaugural Jim Ryun High School Dream Mile for boys and girls.
Competitors have set 44 meet records during the Adidas Grand Prix since 2005. "This year's events will again challenge some of the best track and field athletes in the world, and the Mondo Super X Performance track will help ensure that they perform their best," said Federico Stroppiana, president of Mondo North and South America.
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 one of the fastest, most durable and environmentally safest tracks 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 and will be the track of the 2012 London Olympics.)
Super X Performance was developed to maintain its initial physical properties throughout its life, so it provides consistent performance. The 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 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 Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, FIBA, IAAF, National Soccer Coaches Association of America, NIRSA, U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country 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.mondoworldwide.com.
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Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.