Repairs to National Stadium track set for August - Minister Olivia Grange
According to Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Entertainment, Gender Affairs and Sports, the work on the throwing circle will be the beginning of renovation work that will start after the country’s Independence Day celebrations.
According to Minister Grange, General Manager of Independence Park Limited, Major Desmon Brown, has said there will also be a complete overlay of the running track and work would be done on the run-ups for the long jump pit, the high jump and the pole vault.
“The work on the discus ring will commence this Thursday, February 27, 2020. The other aspects will start in August after the staging of the Grand Gala,” the minister said.
“On the completion of the works, IPL will seek certification by the JAAA.”
Meanwhile, the IPL General Manager said that the upgrading work falls in line plans by the minister for the overall proposed development of the National Stadium to include state-of-the-art facilities for the field events. “Throwing circles are a part of the facilities that will be installed,” Major Brown said.
Major Brown said also that IPL had been working with ISSA from early January 2020 to ensure that all will be in place for 2020 ISSA/Grace Boys and Girls Athletics Championships.
Attention to the bothersome throwing circle was once again brought to the public’s attention last weekend when 2019 World Championship silver medallist Fedrick Dacres withdrew from the discus competition at the Isaac Henry Invitational.
“I am extremely disappointed and it is very annoying to know that we come to compete and they do not have a suitable throwing surface inside our National Stadium. As throwers, we cannot glide inside the circle as there is no friction there, and I can’t believe this is how they are treating us as throwers,” Dacres said.