Why Paris Olympics athletics track is purple as never-before-seen circuit could see records shattered

Since the Olympics kicked off last week, a *lot* has happened.

In fact, people haven't stopped talking about the Olympic Village living conditions, athletes throwing up after swimming in the Seine, gymnasts 'raw dogging' their way through events and athletes who have been disqualified.

But one rather unexpected topic of discussion at this year's games, is the colour of the track.

Did you notice that it's purple?

The Paris track is purple (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Plenty of people on social media have.

One person wrote on X: "The Olympic Track and Field facility being purple makes my heart happy."

While another said: "The purple track in Paris for the Track & Field events is gorgeous."

And a third added: "This purple track at the Olympics looks INCREDIBLE. More of that please!"

So, the track is certainly a hit, but is there a reason why it's purple?

Turns out there is.

According to the BBC, there are actually two reasons why officials decided to choose a purple track for the games.

The first, is because there's never been a competition held on a purple track before, so the Paris Olympics are making history simply by having one.

And secondly, it 'provides a better television experience, to contrast the athletes'.

But there's actually another, very cool fact about the track.

It was made by Italian manufacturer, Mondo and is actually made from mollusk shells - such as mussels and clams - from the Mediterranean Sea.

The company teamed up with Nieddittas, which is a co-operative of fishermen, to create the tracks.

People have been loving the new colour (ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

"These shells are rich in calcium carbonate, a material frequently used in resilient flooring," they explain.

"Nieddittas produces, cleans, and prepares the shells, which are then ground into powder for use in Mondo’s athletic tracks.

"Guided by an innovative and forward-thinking vision, Mondo and Nieddittas have created an eco-sustainable supply chain that transforms waste into a resource.

"This gives birth to a new generation of resilient and sustainable sports flooring surfaces made with a bio-inspired approach that transfers biological knowledge and principles to flooring design."

They explain that 'building an athletics track with biogenic carbonate is like offsetting the emissions of a Euro 4 diesel car traveling 60,000 km'.

So not only does it look good, but it's better for the environment, too.

It's not just the track, either.

Mondo say they're actually responsible for all the sports equipment, including hurdles, blocks, lane markers and even mattresses.