Having an athlete friendly track surface helps overall performance at events such as the MWG.
By Nicole Achs Freeling
Usually, when opposing armies meet on a field, they are preparing for armed conflict. But when more than 5,000 soldiers from 102 countries squared off last October in Hyderabad, India, it wasn’t to touch off World War III. Instead, it was to do battle in a spirit of friendly competition and esprit-de-corps, vying for the 1,076 medals at stake in the 4th Annual Military World Games.
Launched in 1995, 50 years after the end of the Second World War, by the French organization Conseil International Du Sport Militaire (CISM), the Military World Games (MWG) were founded with the aim of promoting friendship through sport. They are held every four years, in the year prior to the International Olympic Games. Some 25 percent of athletes who participate in the MWG go on to win medals in the Olympics the following year, according to the CISM.
This past year, participating athletes got a boost from a new LeMonde track system that was installed as part of the facilities built for the games. LeMonde is a highperformance track system designed by FieldTurf Tarkett. Unlike old-style track surfaces, which are often plagued by poor traction, slow drainage, and splitting seams, LeMonde tracks are built for consistency and speed. They include a base layer engineered to provide consistent response with an aggressively-textured top layer that grips the feet.
MWG officials selected the LeMonde track to be installed at the Artillery Center, which hosted a number of competitions including the high-profile obstacle course event. The Le Monde installation will significantly improve the obstacle course event, as this track product was designed for speed, offering the perfect blend of energy restitution and energy absorption, and thus giving the athlete an extremely fast surface without compromising comfort.
To design the LeMonde system, FieldTurf Tarkett spoke to numerous athletes throughout all levels of sport, from amateur to professional, to get a feel for what they liked and disliked about existing running track surfaces. That information was used to design a system that would specifically fit users’ needs and improve upon what was already out there, offering better consistency, traction, and drainage.
An Olympic test
The 2007 MWG didn’t just represent a test for the athletes involved, it was also a test for India, the first non-European country to host the games. It was the largest international sporting event to be held on the Asian sub-continent.
The Games would be “the most spectacular event ever put up on Indian soil and a huge festival of armed forces from all corners of the globe,” CISM President, Brigadier Gen. Gianni Gola, told The Hindu newspaper before the start of the MWG.
The Games offered an opportunity for India to position itself as a possible host for the Olympic Games. But officials faced two enormous challenges. The first was security. Two bombs went off in Hyderabad in August threatening to derail the events. Terrorists vowed to attack the Games, as well. Police and defense officials retained thousands of security forces and put comprehensive safeguards in place, and the Games proceeded without incident.
The second major issue, less harrowing but no less challenging, was providing adequate facilities. Usually, according to the CISM, a host country organizing an event of this scale begins preparing eight to 10 years before the event. By contrast, Hyderabad officials had two years to create world-class facilities that would be worthy of the skill of some of the world’s greatest athletes. “It is the first time in the history of CISM that a new member country has been able to construct new infrastructure for the games,” Gen. Gola stated in a press release preceding the games.
Ultimately, the Games — which were played before packed stadiums — were heralded as a resounding success. In an emotionally charged speech during the closing ceremonies, CISM President Gen. Gola congratulated India as a most worthy host. “Seldom has any country been successful in conducting such a wonderful organization of the Games,” he said. “A message of peace has been sent from Hyderabad to the entire world on this occasion.”
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FIELD FACTS
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Making strides in running surfaces
Selection of the LeMonde track surface for the 4th Military World Games in Hyderabad, India, isn’t the only development to propel FieldTurf Tarkett running surfaces into the fast lane. In 2007, Dunbar High School, a Washington, D.C.-based school that has historically been a sports powerhouse, chose the LeMonde track system as part of a $6 million stadium renovation. Dunbar Head Track and Field Coach Marvin Parker said he believed the new track would revitalize the Crimson Tide Invitational Track Meet, an event that used to draw national attention, but which has lost luster recently due, in part, to the deteriorating condition of the track. Before choosing a track provider, Parker traveled around visiting numerous schools. Then he saw Princeton University’s Le Monde track and was convinced. “What I like about it is that it doesn’t puddle like the Mondo tracks,” Parker said. “The drainage is perfect, and it is distance-runner friendly, something the Mondo track is not.” Parker said he believed the new track would restore prestige and bring new exposure to D.C. schools’ track and field program. “Now, we’ve got these beautiful facilities, a beautiful track surface — we’re excited about competing on it, and I’m sure everyone else will be excited to run some fast times too,” Parker said. “The FieldTurf field is gorgeous, the track surface is gorgeous. We’ve got a real Class-A situation here.” FieldTurf has also expanded its edge in the track market with the recent acquisition of Defargo, recognized as being one of the premier high-quality track installation companies in North America. Defargo installed the track system at Ohio State University’s legendary Horseshoe Stadium, among many other renowned sporting venues. The addition of Defargo to the FieldTurf Tarkett family continues to enhance the company’s reputation of providing the highest-quality sports surfacing products along with cutting-edge installation methods. |
