WASHINGTON, April 9, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Track and field is alive and well in Washington D.C., thanks in large part to the high performance Le Monde running track at Dunbar Senior High School. The Crimson Tide Classic Invitational was the first track meet held at Dunbar in 10 years and proved to be a perfect opportunity to show off their brand new Le Monde track.
As part of an initiative to invest in D.C. Public Schools athletic facilities, Dunbar Senior High School was outfitted with a top-of-the-line FieldTurf field and Le Monde track facility in 2007. After enduring decades of deteriorating and condemned facilities, the chance for D.C. area athletes to compete on a safe, professional, high performance surface was long overdue.
With over 30 teams and close to 1,000 people in attendance, competition was intense and results were fast. Some standout times recorded on the Le Monde track included a 21.27 second 200 meter and 10.56 second 100 meter run.
"We are extremely honored to be a part of the rebirth of track and field in Washington D.C.," said FieldTurf Tarkett CEO, Joe Fields. "The opportunity to provide a safe and fast surface on which these young, talented athletes can show off their skills is a proud accomplishment for FieldTurf Tarkett."
"Every email that I got back was saying that the track was wonderful," said Dunbar Senior High School Track Coach Marvin Parker, who was the driving force behind the event. "It definitely lived up to the billing of being a fast surface and something that the distance runners would enjoy running on. There were some really fast times posted. What we wanted to do was to gain the respect back for D.C. public schools and prove that we could still run a functional track meet with some of the best facilities on the east coast. The Le Monde track was the talk of the meet. Everyone wants to come back. There were 32 teams this year, and next year, we will host hopefully more than 50 teams. We absolutely love the surface, and FieldTurf Tarkett did a great job."
"This surface is not even a high school surface," said Meade High School Coach Nigel Holder. "It's the college and pro levels with facilities like this. Before, we were running, searching for places to run fast times. Search no more. It's right in front of us."
Oxon Hill High School Coach Walter Cross guided his women's team to a first place finish. "The track was great. We ran some fast times, especially for this early in the season, and set some personal records," said Cross. "The track is top notch. The whole facility, with the track and turf, is what the colleges and pros compete on. It's right up there with the top surfaces."
DeMatha Coach Anthony Bryant was equally impressed: "The track was outstanding. Probably the best we've competed on."
Launched in 2006, Le Monde was engineered to succeed where other sheet goods had failed. Traditional sheet goods are well known to be hard surfaces and painful to run on. Le Monde's blend of a softer base layer and a firm top layer provides the athlete with an extremely fast surface that at the same time gives excellent comfort for distance runners. Deep drainage channels that flow laterally across the surface quickly remove rain, and overlapping seams add to the superior construction of Le Monde.
FieldTurf Tarkett is the largest entity in the sports surfacing industry and provides unparalleled leasing capabilities, engineering and manufacturing resources. In addition to its world-renowned FieldTurf and Prestige brands of artificial turf, FieldTurf Tarkett provides an equally impressive range of products that includes synthetic and hardwood basketball, volleyball and gymnasium flooring, squash and racquetball courts, floor protection and covering systems, and weight room flooring. Also in the range of FieldTurf Tarkett products are indoor and outdoor running tracks, including the high performance Le Monde track system, playground surfacing, commercial and residential landscaping, and a complete range of tennis and golf surfaces. For more information, visit www.fieldturftarkett.com.