UK Olympic Gold Medalist Darren Campbell MBE has been appointed as the Global Track Strategy Director of Feldspar, a technology firm developing smart sensor running tracks.
Within this newly created role, Campbell will oversee the real-time testing of Feldspar’s next-generation smart running track prototype, leaning on his 10-plus years of experience competing in the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Campbell secured Olympic Gold for Great Britain at the 2004 Athens Games, winning in the 4x100m relay. He also won a 200m Silver medal in Athens, complimenting his three Golds at the European Championships and two Golds at the Commonwealth Games.
He commented on his role at Feldspar: “I’m excited to join Feldspar at such a pivotal moment for athletics. With Team GB achieving an all-time-high by bringing home 10 medals from Paris on the running track, we all feel the energy, but I strongly believe the opportunity is there to inject more excitement into the sport and that the industry is ripe for innovation.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with Feldspar and helping to bring athletics to the digital age. Feldspar’s sensor-enabled running track is a groundbreaking innovation that has the potential to revolutionise not just how athletes train and compete, but also how fans experience live events.
“Furthermore, from a broadcast standpoint, incorporating real-time data and engaging insights post-race could enable an unprecedented level of analysis. This deeper level of insight has the potential to enhance the viewers’ understanding and draw them closer to the action on the track.”
The arrival of Campbell and his expertise in track and field will prove vital for the development of Feldspar’s pipeline of innovative running tracks.
The company is leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, as well as enhanced datasets on its latest sensor-enabled running track, designed to accurately track athlete performance, providing real-time metrics and also providing insightful reports to both athletes and coaches.
Alvin Chen, Founder and CEO of Feldspar, believes that Campbell’s involvement will prove to be a major moment for the company in being able to turn its vision into reality.
He said: “We are thrilled to welcome Darren to Feldspar. His winning mindset and deep understanding of athletic performance and broadcasting make him an invaluable addition to our rapidly growing team as we advance the development of our modular digital high-performance running track.
“Darren’s exceptional career, top-tier coaching expertise, international network in the world of athletics, and broadcast and media experience, will undoubtedly be key in turning Feldspar’s ambitious vision into reality.”
Chen recently spoke to Insider Sport ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, explaining in detail how Feldspar’s innovations may lead to a new future for athletics.
