The athletics track at Hampden Stadium has finally been unveiled to the world. After nine months of construction, we take an exclusive look behind the scenes of the build. We hear Jessica Ennis-Hill and Eilidh Child’s first impression of the surface and speak to the engineers at Mondo about their revolutionary track surface.
Upon seeing the Hampden build back in March, both Jessica Ennis Hill and Eilidh Child were excited for spectators coming to the legendary sporting arena.
Glasgow 2014 Official Ambassador, Jessica Ennis-Hill CBE, said:
“Scotland is famed for a passion for sport. I’ve been hearing today about the ‘Hampden Roar’ which I’m sure, combined with a fantastic looking standard of Athletes’ Village, will give those competing at Glasgow 2014 an experience they will never forget.”
The centrepiece at the heart of the Games, Scotland’s National Stadium will stage some of the most thrilling moments of the competition, with more than a thousand athletes going all out for gold and glory in over 48 events in seven days.
Eilidh Child, Team Scotland star and Commonwealth silver medallist in the 400m hurdles, said:
“I’ve seen Hampden in its football format many times, but I never thought I’d see it like this. It’s a spectacular transformation and I’m hugely excited to be competing here this summer. The thought of pushing down the home straight in front of a packed crowd inside our national stadium gives me goosebumps.”
The stadium’s stunning technologically-led transformation is now complete and features a revolutionary solution which has raised its surface by almost two metres, gaining the width and length required for an IAAF-approved Athletics track.
Along with the track, a full infield complete with freshly-cut grass sits on a temporary deck made up of 1,000 base panels which are supported by over 6,000 structural steel stilts. The recognisable Mondo track surface has been laid and lanes marked with the Glasgow 2014 start and finish lines painted in position.
David Grevemberg, Chief Executive of Glasgow 2014, said:
“This crucial Games venues has a stunning look, revolutionary design and the is embodiment of the athlete centred, sports focused approach that we’ve taken to delivering the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.”
This is the first time this technology has been used on this scale to deliver a world-class Athletics event and it will enable elite athletes from 71 nations and territories to battle it out in front of a packed crowd of over 40,000 in the stadium and more than one billion TV viewers worldwide.
Maurizio Stroppiana, Mondo Sport&Flooring General Manager said:
“Glasgow has created a venue that is not only an engineering feat but a world-class example of environmental and social responsibility. Mondo is proud to be part of this achievement.”
Don’t miss out on any of the Athletics action at the XX Commonwealth Games, get your tickets now!