design studio Bartle Bogle Hegarty Singapore and global sportswear giant Nike have joined forces to open a “reimagined running track” in the centre of Manila where sprinters can race against themselves.

The Unlimited Stadium was a shaped as a huge sole print of Nike's newest footwear release, the Lunar Epic. The 200m track was lined with an LED screen, and up to 30 runners at a time were able to register an avatar with a unique name and colour combination. A sensor was then attached to their shoes, so their competing avatar ran with them on the screen, racing ahead or falling behind depending on the runner’s pace.

The digital avatars grew in size the further and faster they ran, encouraging runners to push beyond their limits.

“We conceptualised the stadium from strategy and creative concept to the stadium architecture and overall user experience bringing it all together with our expert partners,” said the designers in a statement. “The Unlimited Stadium was a fusing of the virtual and physical worlds.”

Nike has previously delved into the world of design to promote fitness with a special LED basketball court in Shanghai.

Dubbed the ‘House of Mamba’, the court's floor screened graphics, video and real-time player tracking. Using motion sensors to enable interactive visualisations, players were trained and challenged using circuits set by basketball star Kobe Bryant.