A Jamaican sprinter is now the fastest woman in the world. The Tokyo Olympics are special this time since the runners are going to reach their personal best or even new records. The fast track surface might have contributed to it. Read to know the whole story.
The record-breaking Olympic sprint
Elaine Thompson-Hearth’s run in the women’s 100 meters is historic. The Jamaican sprinter broke a 33-year-old Olympic record. The earlier record was set to 10.62 at 1988’s Seoul Olympics.
However, Thompson-Hearth ran the 100m race in 10.61 seconds on Saturday. Her hard work and achievement are commendable but, the fast track at the Tokyo Olympics had a hand in pushing people to perform their best. Wait, can a track make a difference?
What’s new about the fast track in Tokyo Olympics?
The red-bricked tracks made by Mondo have been an Olympic standard since 1948. However, the company claims that this particular surface is different. “The three-dimensional rubber granules are specifically designed with a selected polymeric system that is integrated into the top layer of MONDO TRACK WS that are added to the semi-vulcanized compound. The vulcanization process guarantees the molecular bond between the granules and the surrounding matter, creating a compact layer,” states the company’s website. The track was installed between August to November 2019 but, has not seen a lot of action due to the pandemic.
The Olympic runners agree with the difference in the track. “Feels like I’m walking on clouds. It’s smooth out there. It’s a beautiful track. One of the nicest I’ve run on,” said Ronnie baker, a 100-meter sprinter from the US. “Oh, it’s fast. Might take world records to win,” chirped in Clayton Murphy, an 800-meter racer from the US. “You know what fast tracks feel like. And for us, this track feels really quick and I am looking forward to running quick on it. You just feel it, man, you just feel it,” said Akani Simbine, a South African sprinter.
Why is the track ‘very bouncy’?
According to the company’s website, their main objective is to ‘maximize the speed of athletes and improve their performance.’ Additionally, the top layer of the track has vulcanized rubber. It contains air-filled cavities in its lower layer and helps in elasticity, energy storage and, shock absorption.
Moreover, it also provides an immediate kinetic response that helps sprinters zoom through. “Some tracks absorb your motion and your force. This one regenerates it and gives it back to you. You can definitely feel it,” said Sydney McLaughin, the 400-meter record holder from the US.