By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
What Makes an Athletics Track Fast? A Closer Look at the Stade de France
To the untrained eye, athletics tracks may all seem similar. However, the purple track at the Stade de France, set to debut at the Paris Olympic Games on Friday, stands out. Maurizio Stroppiana, whose company crafted the track, describes its color as "audacious" and says it will make the Paris Games easily recognizable.
It took 10 wet and cold weeks to install the track after the Rugby World Cup ended last October. "Finally, when we see it installed, it's absolutely beautiful," Stroppiana says. His company, Mondo Group, based in Alba, Italy, has created every Olympic track since 1976. The company, initially founded by Edmondo Stroppiana, began by making rubber bicycle tires in post war Italy before transitioning to track surfaces in 1972. Mondo claims the Paris track is its fastest yet, 2% faster than Tokyo's in 2020.
Beneath the striking purple surface lies a two layer rubber track. The lower layer features honeycomb cells that absorb the shock of footfalls and return energy as the foot lifts off. This is a significant advancement from the cinder tracks of the past, like the one Sir Roger Bannister ran on when he broke the four minute mile in 1954. Cinder tracks, a mix of volcanic rocks, clay, peat moss, or coal ashes, were harder and faster than their predecessors but messy in wet conditions.
Polyurethane tracks, introduced at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, offered better performance in the rain compared to cinder tracks, which often caused event cancellations. Polyurethanes, large molecules made of repeating units, have since been improved for athletic use, with enhancements for spike resistance and ultraviolet light resistance.
Mondo's rubber tracks made their Olympic debut in 1976 in Montreal. "We had a fabulous Mondo track at the Athens Olympics. I like the hardness of them. I definitely feel that they are a lot faster than tartan tracks," recalls 2004 Olympian Maria McCambridge. However, the hardness of these tracks could cause issues for distance runners, leading some to wear racing flats instead of spikes.
A high performance track needs to balance hardness for speed with softness to absorb impact, explains João Bomfim, a polymer chemist formerly with Mondo. The goal is to help runners move forward while minimizing injury risk. Modern tracks achieve this balance by using different rubber components and additives.
Today's top tracks can be made from either polyurethane or rubber. Polyurethane tracks are mixed on site, while rubber tracks are pre fabricated and assembled on location. This makes rubber tracks easier to install in rainy climates.
Oxford University is now installing a new polyurethane surface at Iffley Road, where Bannister set his record. Anika Schwarze Chintapatla, a steeplechase runner at Trinity College, Oxford, anticipates the new track will reduce injury risks. The track will be dark blue, reflecting the university's color, which can have psychological benefits for athletes.
In recent years, track development has focused on environmental sustainability. Mondo's Paris track is made of 50% recycled materials, and other brands like Sports Group's Rekortan use renewable resources such as canola and rapeseed oils. Whether red or purple, the future of athletics tracks looks increasingly green.
