Icahn Stadium

Icahn Stadium opened in 2005. Located on Randall's Island, in New York City, it is one of only three Class 1 internationally certified tracks in the United States [ [http://www.iaaf.org/downloads/CertSystem/index.html IAAF International Association of Athletics Federations - IAAF.org - Downloads - IAAF Certification System ] ] . The Stadium offers an extremely fast 400-meter Mondo surface running track, flanked by covered spectator seating for 5,000 and features modern locker rooms, showers as well as fitness, exercise and meeting rooms. In addition, a premier FIFA certified soccer field to the north of the Stadium has been built with artificial surface, fencing, lighting and bleachers. It is named after American billionaire Carl Icahn.

After two years of operation, Icahn Stadium hosts more than 200,000 high school, college and professional athletes and spectators during track season. Each year, the number of meets and events that are scheduled has grown, bringing larger numbers of people to this first class facility.

Icahn Stadium sits on the site of the former Downing Stadium, built in the 1936 as part of a larger New York City Parks project which included the construction of the Triborough Bridge. The opening of Downing Stadium made history as the facility hosted the U.S. Olympic Trials, at which Jesse Owens qualified for two events in the upcoming Berlin Olympics. The site went on to be home to the New York Cosmos soccer team, various sporting events and summer concerts.

Run by the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation (RISF), Icahn Stadium serves the residents of New York City and beyond. RISF was founded in 1992 as a public-private partnership to work on behalf of Randall’s Island Park. The Foundation, in conjunction with City leadership and the local community, works to realize the Island’s unique potential by developing sports and recreational facilities, restoring its vast natural environment, reclaiming and maintaining parkland, and sponsoring community-linked programs for the children of New York City runs free youth sports programs that bring over 14,000 under-resourced public school children from Harlem and the South Bronx to the island annually.

These programs benefit from the new Stadium and its facilities. Recently, a new program, the Jesse Owens Track & Field Club was created to introduce elementary age children to the joy and excitement of running and field events.

On May 31, 2008, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set the world record in the 100m on the Icahn Stadium track with a time of 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix, .02 seconds faster than the previous record held by his countryman, Asafa Powell.

References

External links

* [http://www.risf.org/projects_track2.html Randall’s Island - Icahn Stadium]