Sport Group heads into its 14th Games
From the first track in the 1968 Mexico City Games to the first carbon-zero hockey turf in Paris, Sport Group’s companies and brands have a long history of Olympic innovation
Milliseconds and millimetres can separate victors from the vanquished at the Olympic Games. Where marginal gains produce medals, everything from the kit to the sport surface needs to work as hard as the athletes themselves.
Sport Group, whose tracks and turfs have underpinned some iconic moments in Olympic history, has been offering support and innovation for over 50 years of Games history.
Providing sport surfaces for 14 of the last 15 Olympics
Since the 1968 Mexico City Games, Sport Group’s surfaces have featured in an astounding 14 of the last 15 Games. From main stadium tracks to sustainable hockey turfs and an iconic triathlon interchange turf in Sydney 2000, the company’s products have been pivotal in setting the scene for record-breaking performances and thrilling team triumphs.
Mexico 1968 | Credit: Smith Archive / Alamy Stock Photo
Mexico, 1968: Sport Group joins the Olympic Race
Sport Group’s Olympic track journey began at Mexico 1968, with our heritage Tartan track brand being used in the main stadium and becoming the springboard for some stand-out times. The shift to synthetic track was a transformational moment in sport, and numerous world records followed, including Jim Hines (USA) becoming the first man to officially go under 10 seconds over 100m, in a time of 9.95.
Seven Olympic Games run on Sport Group tracks
Sport Group has since gone on to provide the tracks for seven Games and with a tally of 211, has the most Olympic records. After its Mexico City debut, Tartan appeared in Montreal 1976 and Moscow 1980.
Sport Group’s Rekortan track was chosen as the stage for the 1972 Munich Games, a decision repeated across three more Games: Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988 and as the two warm-up tracks in Sydney 2000.
“Since the 1968 Mexico City Games, Sport Group’s surfaces have featured in an astounding 14 of the last 15 Olympic Games.”
Among the many astonishing performances on those tracks, from Nawal El Moutawakel to Sebastian Coe, perhaps the most incredible was in Los Angeles in 1984 which showcased ‘athlete of the century’ Carl Lewis (USA). He began his remarkable Olympic career winning gold in the men’s 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and the long jump.
Carl Lewis | Los Angeles 1984
Seoul 1988 | Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Seoul 1988: More track records than any of the following Olympics
Seoul 1988 saw a record explosion on Rekortan as synthetic track natives came of age. Flo Jo smashed the 100m and 200m world records and Jackie Joyner-Kersee became the first American woman in history to take Olympic gold in the heptathlon and long jump.
11 out of 13 Olympics played on Sport Group hockey turfs
Sport Group's expertise isn't confined to the track. Paris will be Sport Group's 11th appearance out of the 13 Olympics since hockey at the Games switched to synthetic turf. It is also the eighth Olympics on Poligras. This testament to quality, innovation and trust is part of a journey that began in Montreal 1976.
Montreal 1976 to Atlanta 1996: The first Olympic hockey turfs
The hockey in 1976 saw another transformational moment, when the first match in Montreal took place between India and Argentina on an AstroTurf hockey turf. Sport Group’s, AstroTurf, with its three Olympic appearances (Montreal 1976, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996) made its mark on the modern game and paved the way for Poligras.
Poligras holds the record for eight Olympic Games
Poligras made its Olympic debut at Moscow 1980, along with the women’s hockey tournament (won by Zimbabwe). For London 2012, the Polytan team introduced the iconic Poligras blue turf, which proved a hit amongst spectators and broadcasters as the sport’s first hockey-turf-generation of players took centre stage.
“London 2012 was a great experience. I spent two years working on the project directly with LOCOG. We were testing the new blue turf. The main hockey stadium was a temporary venue for 16,000 spectators and the Olympic Park was massive (145 hectares). It was complex and rewarding and was made all the better because the hockey was such a success.” - Shaun Goudie, general manager, Sport Group Asia.
The Poligras turf at Rio 2016 required 30% less water than previous Games and saw some incredible action. Argentina’s men and Great Britain’s women took gold with Sport Group’s Polytan hockey team encountering some formidable opponents of their own off the pitch:
“It is a great privilege to work on Olympic projects, and because the scale is so large there are always challenges. But in Rio we were faced with an extra challenge; the location chosen for the hockey was just rough land which backed onto a river with two alligators in it. One was caught and moved to another location, but the second alligator was never captured. We knew it was in there somewhere keeping an eye on us and waiting for someone to get too close!” - Paul Kamphuis, general manager, Polytan Asia Pacific
Rio 2016
Tokyo 2020
For Tokyo 2020, we created Poligras Tokyo GT. Made from 60% sugar cane, this revolutionary hockey turf delivered a huge reduction in CO₂ emissions. After two years of additional R&D, the sugarcane content increased to 80% for the Paris 2024 turf, Poligras Paris GT zero: the world’s first carbon zero turf.
Sport Group’s triathlon debut in Sydney
At Sydney 2000, Polytan introduced the first coloured hockey surrounds and we provided blue Poligras turf for the triathlon interchange in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House; an enduring image of the one of the greatest Olympic Games.
“The Sydney 2000 Games offered an outstanding opportunity to make a global impact. A surrounding colour to the playing area (ochre, matching our classic Australian red dirt) was added to the hockey turfs for the first time in international competition. The blue turf for the triathlon changeover area, in front of the Opera House, was beamed around the world to add excitement and quality to the Games. It shows what a small, dedicated team can achieve – we were so proud of our contribution.”- Rob Kirkwood, Polytan Asia Pacific
Sport Group provides 20 Olympic Surfaces over the last 14 Olympic Games
Sport Group has not only provided 20 Olympic surfaces over the last 14 Olympics; it has transformed athletics and hockey, and has laid the groundwork, literally, for many thrilling performances in Olympic history.
Poligras and Rekortan are available globally through Polytan in EMEA, Asia Pacific and Australasia, and AstroTurf in North and South America as well as our global installer network.