byLarry Eder
This is the second in a series from CONICA, a partner and supplier for European Athletics. They are building athletics surfaces worldwide.
The Stadio Olimpico in Rome is one of Europe’s most famous and widely used stadiums. It was built in 1953 and has been the site of numerous important sporting events, such as the 1990 FIFA World Cup final and the 2009 UEFA Champions League final.
The athletics track at the Stadio Olimpico was renovated in 1990 and a second time in 2002, both time a CONICA track was installed. The track was specifically designed for use in professional athletics events and is made of polyurethane, a durable material that provides high durability and flexibility.
Since the CONICA track was put in, the stadium records have been impressive.
Five world records have been established on the Stadio Olimpico during the Golden Gala Roma, with two of them still standing. Moses Kiptanui ran 12;55.30 WR for 5,000M. In 2000, Trine Hattestad, NOR, threw 68.22m in the javelin, and in 2008, Yelena Isinbayeva, Russia, set a WR in the Pole Vault of 5.03m.
Still standing WRs run during the Gala were in 1998, by Hicham El Guerrouj, Morocco in the 1,500m of 3:26.00, and 3:43.13 in the mile in 1999.
Although the track is over 20 years old, it still looks almost new and continues to meet the high standards of the World Athletics (WA). This is evidence of the excellent quality and durability of the CONICA track.
The Stadio Olimpico track has seen some fast times at the Golden Gala since 1990, from 9.75 (Justin Gatlin, USA, 2015) in the 100 meters to 19.70 in the 200m by Michael Norman, USA (2019).
The 400m MR is 43.62, from 2006 by Jeremy Wariner, USA. Wilson Kipketer, DEN, ran 1:42.79 on the track in 1999.
The great Venuste Nyongabo, BUR, ran 4:534.02 at 2000m, with Nicholas Kimeli, KEN, just running 12:46.33 for the 5,000m in 2022.
Field events records are impressive as well, with 6.15m by Mondo Duplantis, SWE in 2020, with a Long jump of 8.61m by Dwight Phillips, USA in 2009. Yelena Isinbayeva’s then WR of 5.03m on the track in 2007 is still the highest ever vaulted in Rome!
The track at the Stadio Olimpico was developed and installed by CONICA in close collaboration with the stadium’s officials. Special requirements of the location, such as the high temperatures in summer and the high usage of the stadium, were also taken into account. Thanks to the high-quality materials and careful installation, the track has stood the test of time and is still one of the best tracks in Europe.
The Stadio Olimpico in Rome will be the venue for the European Athletics Championships in 2024, an important international athletics competition. Therefore, a new athletics track is planned to be installed to meet the high requirements of the event.
Although the existing track is still in excellent condition, international competitions such as the European Athletics Championships require the highest standards for the track surface. Therefore, it is necessary to install a new athletics track to ensure that the competition conditions meet the requirements.
It is expected that the new track in Rome will meet the same high standards as the existing track. CONICA is in close contact with the stadium officials to discuss the requirements for a new athletics track.
Overall, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome is a prime example of the high quality and durability of CONICA tracks, which continue to provide excellent performance and meet the highest standards even after decades of use.
About Conica
Conica has been developing and manufacturing innovative seamless flooring solutions for sports, games, and leisure for over 40 years. Conica is one of the world’s market leaders and innovation drivers in this field.
The user-oriented requirements for technical and sports functional performance and usability while guaranteeing the health aspects of the material itself and for the user are the focus of Conica’s product development.
Conica is part of the Serafin group of companies based in Munich, Germany.
To learn more about CONICA, please go to: https://www.conica.com/
