ROXBURY, Mass., Dec. 5, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When athletes take their marks tomorrow at the newly renovated Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center for the third annual UMass Boston Indoor Open track and field competition, they'll do so on a Mondo track with the company's newest surface: Super X 720.
The track was part of major renovations that were made possible by $5.7 million in state funding. The 130,000-square-foot center located on the campus of Roxbury Community College underwent a series of repairs and upgrades, including the resurfacing of a Mondo six-lane, 200-meter banked track with the company's Super X 720 surface. The track features two curved sections that are banked for high-speed running events, allowing athletes to safely maximize their speed and performance on the curves instead of decelerating, which they must do on flat surfaces. It replaces a Mondo Super X surface that was installed when the facility opened in 1995.
"Numerous records were set on the previous Mondo surface," said Keith McDermott, director, Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center. "When you have the best and that kind of success, why go with any other track manufacturer? Athletes love the facility, and Mondo makes it great. We are expecting some incredible performances during tomorrow's competition and the upcoming season."
More than 30 colleges and universities will compete in Saturday's invitational, which will be the first meet held on the new surface.
The new Mondo surface at "The Reggie" also will serve as the competition surface for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix (Feb. 7) and the 2015 USATF Indoor Championships (Feb. 27–March 1). The venue hosted the indoor championships from 2003 to 2009 where a number of records were set. From 2010 to 2014, the competition was held at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico, which also has a Mondo 200-meter banked track. Twenty-five consecutive USA indoor track and field championships have been held on Mondo surfaces.
Manufactured by Mondo, the global leader in the track and field, indoor sport and contract flooring markets, the Super X 720 track combines the wear layer of the company's renowned Super X Performance track, the world's top track for more than 30 years, and the backing of Mondotrack, the competition track of the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games. The layers are vulcanized together to form one continuous, seamless piece of material that delivers exceptional traction, durability, drainage and safety. The backing provides exceptional shock absorption and energy return, which further helps the performance layer increase athletes' comfort and enables them to achieve faster times than when running on other surfaces.
"Mondo tracks have been the choice of many venues because we are committed to developing soft, fast surfaces that provide the optimum blend of comfort and speed," said Latasha Pittman, director of marketing and communications, Mondo USA, Inc. "Ideal for both training and high-speed competition, the tracks have helped athletes around the world achieve record-breaking performances."
In 2015, the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center will host more than 90 high school, collegiate and professional track meets. It has been the site of 41 world, American and national records since it opened in 1995.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the track and field, indoor sport and contract flooring markets, manufacturing flooring surfaces for virtually every application. More than 1,100 Mondo tracks and millions of square feet of the company's high-performance athletic surfaces are installed worldwide.
An official supplier of athletic tracks for the past 10 Olympic Games, Mondo also is the official supplier or sponsor of more than 100 sports federations and associations.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, the company sells its products in more than 196 countries through Mondo-owned manufacturing companies in Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and China. For news updates and the latest on Mondo products, events and flooring installations, visit mondoworldwide.com and like Mondo America's Facebook page.
Mondo and Mondotrack are registered trademarks of Mondo.