Plzeň opened an athletic stand, running is also trained on its roof

Plzeň – Plzeň athletes have a new stand with modern facilities and a unique training space. The city has completed the construction of the eastern stand at the athletics stadium for more than 138 million crowns. Athletes here have the opportunity to train for running uphill and downhill, as the tartan tracks run along the arched roof. According to the athletes, there is nothing like this elsewhere in the Czech Republic. The completion of the stand is crucial for athletes; the existing facilities and capacity were no longer sufficient, said the chairman of AK Škoda Miloslav Plašil today at the opening of the building.

"New changing rooms, a workout room, and especially the roof tracks will allow us to elevate the quality of training to a whole new level. Both our Olympians and representatives, as well as the youngest starting athletes, will find excellent conditions here,” he stated.

According to Veronika Vítová, head of the municipal infrastructure management department, the construction of the building is characterized by layering functional zones on top of each other. The biggest rarity is the roof, whose arched shape creates a training area with a variable slope. Three tartan tracks with a total length of 177 meters run through the center of the roof. At the ends, they smoothly transition to the terrain near the stand. In the northern part, there are special training stairs. The rest of the roof is covered with greenery.

The underground level features covered parking, while the peripheral areas serve as unheated storage for sports equipment. The first above-ground floor includes a testing and cleaning room, changing rooms with social facilities, and a long workout room measuring 29 meters for supplementary activities. The second above-ground floor has an open training area with three 60-meter tartan tracks with double-sided run-ups. Stainless steel nets protect the area from the eastern side. "The most architecturally and technically demanding part was the realization of the arched roof with variable slopes for the running tracks and the installation of protective stainless steel nets. The completion of the project will significantly increase comfort for both athletes and spectators,” Vítová added.

"I am pleased that we have completed the project and that Plzeň can boast this unique sports building. Female and male athletes from AK Škoda Plzeň are delivering excellent performances, representing our city both in the country and abroad. Therefore, I have no doubt that they deserve the new stand with the ramp, and I believe it will help them reach new sports heights and bring fame to Plzeň not only in the world of athletics but also in architecture," said Mayor Roman Zarzycký (ANO).

The city athletics stadium is maximally utilized. It is used by members of the club, which has over 1,200 members, as well as by elementary and secondary schools, teacher training faculties, and police and firefighters for training and sports competitions. "We also regularly host the highest athletic competitions, such as the national championship or the extraleague," Plašil added.