Polytan and Athletics Australia combine to pave the way to Paris and beyond
A ground-breaking three-year partnership will elevate track surfaces nationwide and provide a sure foundation for Australia's athletes.
Polytan and Athletics Australia have announced a new three-year partnership aimed at redefining track surfaces across the nation and enhancing infrastructure and facilities for athletes at all levels. This exciting collaboration promises to elevate the standard of athletics in the region and ensure that Australia's top athletes continue to train and compete on world-class surfaces.
Australian National Championships provide partnership springboard
The announcement comes on the heels of the region’s flagship 2024 Australian Athletics Championships, held at the SA Athletics Stadium last month on Polytan’s innovative Rekortan G13 Gel track.
The Championships which include junior age groups and para events are a key milestone for aspiring Olympians and they did not fail to deliver. A host of world-class performances saw records fall and PBs surface.
Teenager emerges as Australia’s Fastest Man
Among the standout moments, Sebastian Sultana, the 18-year-old sprint sensation, was crowned Australia’s fastest man with a 10.27 (-1.2) run in the Men’s 100m ahead of a competitive field including Joshua Azzopardi, Jacob Despard and Olympic semi-finalist Rohan Browning.
Championship and National Records reached in the distance events
Claudia Hollingsworth, another teenage superstar, set a new Australian U20 record of 1:58.40 in the Women’s 800m with a thrilling performance and Luke Boyes, at just 20, secured a breakthrough Australian title in the Men’s event, clocking 1:44.73, just shy of the Olympic qualifying standard.
Jessica Hull dominated the Women’s 1500m, setting a new championship record of 4:01.39. She also recently set a new national record of 3:55.97 at the Eugene Diamond League 2024, becoming the first Australian to run under 3:56.00 in the women’s 1500m.
14 athletes make the Olympic-cut
Victoria Brockett, Regional Marketing Manager from Sport Group Asia Pacific, expressed her excitement at the calibre of athletics on show:
“In front of record-breaking crowds, it brings us great pride to see national and Championship records broken on Australia’s first Rekortan Gel track which we have developed to enhance both athlete and environmental performance.”
“We congratulate the 14 athletes who were selected for the Australian Olympic Team: some, as a result of their powerful performances at the Australian Athletics Championships. We wish them every success as they make their preparations for Paris.”
14 of 16 major track competitions from Adelaide to Wellington run on Rekortan
Polytan and Rekortan tracks have stood for athletic excellence since 1969, featuring at Olympic Games, World Cups, and Commonwealth Games. This summer season, 14 out of 16 major track competitions across Australia and New Zealand—from Adelaide to Sydney and from Auckland to Wellington—took place on Polytan’s Rekortan tracks.
Eighty-five percent of all tracks in Australia are Rekortan systems installed by Polytan, demonstrating their dominance and reliability in the field. Their tracks have seen over 100 Australian records and meet records broken throughout the season, along with 146 qualifiers for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and World Under 20 Championships.
Partnership set to elevate athletics in Australia for the long-term
With so many Rekortan tracks installed across Australia, many of the country’s top athletes will continue their preparations for Paris 2024 on these surfaces. The new collaboration between Athletics Australia and Polytan will help to ensure continued elevation for the sport beyond the closing ceremony this summer.
Find more information about this groundbreaking partnership here.
Find more information about Rekortan’s innovative Gel tracks systems here.