FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., June 9, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The University of Arkansas is ready to welcome hundreds of the nation's best athletes to John McDonnell Field for the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The competitors vying for national titles during the June 10-13 meet will have a world-class surface underfoot -- the Mondo Super X Performance track.
"The University of Arkansas, our track and field staff and our student-athletes are very excited to host this year's championships, and that the competition will be on a Mondo surface," said Chris Bucknam, Arkansas track and field head coach. "John McDonnell Field is internationally known as a very fast track and we expect some very fast times during the competition."
The host venue features a nine-lane, 400-meter Mondo Super X Performance track. McDonnell Field is one of only four facilities in the U.S., and the first on a college campus, to receive the prestigious IAAF Class I certification.
Bucknam said the Mondo track gives Arkansas student-athletes a competitive edge. "They train on a Mondo surface throughout the season, and that definitely helps prepare them for fast races against high-caliber competition."
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.
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 Arkansas
Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is the state's largest and most distinguished institution of higher learning, with more than 19,000 students. The school has a rich tradition of track and field success: Since 1985, the men's track and field team has won 10 NCAA outdoor titles and has had 50 NCAA individual event champions.
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.
Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.
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