25 March 2010 

UKA today announced that Britain’s track and field athletes will be given a unique opportunity to prepare for the London 2012 home Games with the laying of the Olympic track at the two UKA National Performance Centres at Lee Valley and Loughborough.  

The London Marathon Charitable Trust has committed £220,000 to enable UKA, with the support of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and Loughborough University, to lay an exact replica of the Mondo FX track that will be in the Olympic Stadium in 2012.

The super fast track, which will be in place at the facilities from April,  is currently installed in only ten stadia around the world with two of those in Beijing. UKA’s Lee Valley Athletics Centre Director Dan Pfaff said: “The two National Performance Centres will be the only training centres in the world with this track installed, giving our athletes considerable advantage.

“It is super fast and is of particular benefit to structured running events such as sprints, hurdles and all horizontal and vertical jumps. Training on the track day in and day out will mean the Olympic Stadium will feel like home in 2012.

“The London Marathon Charitable Trust’s financial support and the commitment of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, Loughborough University, UK Sport and Sport England is fast turning the two UKA National Performance Centres into the leading training venues in the world.”

UKA Chief Executive Niels de Vos believes this partnership approach to investment will benefit British athletes: “The London Marathon Charitable Trust is part of the £700k investment into Lee Valley and Loughborough in partnership with UK Sport, Sport England, Loughborough University and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority to provide GB athletes with the best possible training environment in the lead up to 2012.  In the immediate run up to and during the Olympics and Paralympics, Lee Valley will be the team base for all athletes”

London Marathon race founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, John Disley said: "The London Marathon’s original objectives include a requirement to improve the standards of British distance running as well as a commitment to provide better sporting facilities in London.

“The London Marathon Charitable Trust is pleased to be working with UKA to help give UK athletes the best possible training conditions in the build up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. The improved track at Lee Valley and the endurance training camps will make an important contribution to their prospects of success and leave a legacy for sport in the UK."

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Chairman, Derrick Ashley said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our athletes a track modelled on the London 2012 surface. This will enhance the performance and training of all our dedicated athletes, those training for their place at the 2012 Games, the club athletes and also the casual users, schools and community groups who train and compete at the centre. The Lee Valley Athletics Centre is already the largest combined indoor and outdoor athletics centre serving London and the South of England, to now be one of only two National Performance Centres in the world with this super fast, Olympic Games standard track, is a great investment for this world class athletics facility.”

Athletes based at the UKA National Performance Centres at Lee Valley and Loughborough will be able to train on an indoor straight as well as long and triple jump runways, and pole vault and high jump areas.