Hampden Park Transformed into IAAF-Approved Athletics Track for Glasgow 2014

Hampden Park, Scotland’s National Stadium, and the home of Scottish football, has been transformed into a world-class athletics arena.

The stadium surface has been raised by almost two metres, gaining the width and length required for an IAAF-approved athletics track.

The stadium will host 48 athletics events during Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, with more than a thousand athletes going all out for gold and glory in over 48 events in seven days.

The work has been a closely guarded secret since it began back in December, but a full infield complete with freshly-covered grass now sits on a temporary deck, made up of 1,200 base panels supported by over 6,000 structural steel stilts. The recognisable red running track surface will be laid shortly.

This is the first time this technology has been used on this scale to deliver a world-class athletics event and it will enable elite athletes from 70 nations and territories to battle it out in front of a packed crowd of over 40,000 in the stadium and more than one billion TV viewers worldwide.

Athletes’ Village

The Athletes’ Village is Scotland’s first large-scale carbon neutral housing development.

The village will host 6,500 athletes and officials in total and is much more than just a bed, it’s their dining area, their medical facility, their retail zone and their recreational space where the athletes can relax and unwind away from the intensity of competition and training.

Glasgow 2014 Official Ambassador, Jessica Ennis-Hill CBE, said, “Looking at the amazing Athletics arena that is taking shape at Hampden Park, I am sure Glasgow 2014 will be a Commonwealth Games like no other. I know from the Olympic Games in London the importance of a home crowd and how much of a boost that wonderful support gave to the athletes. Scotland is famed for a passion for sport. I’ve been hearing today about the ‘Hampden Roar’ which I’m sure, combined with a fantastic looking standard of Athletes’ Village, will give those competing at Glasgow 2014 an experience they will never forget.”

Eilidh Child, Team Scotland star and Commonwealth silver medallist in the 400m hurdles, said, “I’ve seen Hampden in its football format many times, but I never thought I’d see it like this. It’s a spectacular transformation and I’m hugely excited to be competing here this summer. The thought of pushing down the home straight in front of a packed crowd inside our national stadium gives me goosebumps. Today is the first time I’ve been inside the Athletes’ Village and it’s looking great. There’s so much open space and it’s nice to see the furniture from London 2012 being reused too. The Village is such an important area for the athletes and from what I’ve seen Glasgow could certainly be setting a new standard. I can’t wait until the teams all start moving in and bring the Village to life.”