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$40-m boost
Singapore to repair damaged Stadium East track
BY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, October 03, 2009
SINGAPORE, the host nation for next year's inaugural Youth Olympics, has given the Jamaican government its assurance to pay the US$550,000 needed to resurface the run-down Stadium East mondo track at the Independence Park Complex.
According to sports minister Olivia Grange, the arrangement will see a few of Jamaica's top athletes, including triple World and Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, helping Singapore to market the Youth Olympics set for August 14 to 26 in 2010.
"We have been offered the funds, but we have to sign off on the arrangements," Grange said on Thursday. The estimate of US$550,000 (or about J$49 million), was provided by Mondo America Incorporated.
"We have been approached to assist in promoting the event and this year they have several activities and they have invited us to visit Singapore. They've invited us to come with a delegation which would include Bolt, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown and one of our top youth athletes. We were able to get them to agree to assist in funding the track that we need to re-lay at the Stadium East field. They have indicated that the funds have been identified, but it requires the delegation to go to Singapore, expense paid by Singapore, to consummate the arrangement," said Grange, noting further that the delegation could make the trip by the end of October.
"We have finalised the date with the other athletes, but we are awaiting a date from Usain (management team). I know they are interested and keen because Usain personally spoke with me about the track, saying we (the athletes) really can't train on the track because of the condition it's in, and Glen Mills also spoke with me about it," she said. The minister said Bolt's handlers have indicated that they will advise the government of the double world-record holder's availability by the end of this week.
The Observer first reported in January this year that the track, which is used by the nation's top local senior and junior athletes to prepare for international competition, was in a deplorable condition.
At the time, Bolt's coach Mills, indicated that the surface threatened injury to the nation's athletes.
"Its current state is not safe for 100-metre running because the blocks may not hold and the athletes could make bad steps into what looks to be holes," said Mills.
General manager of IPL, Major Desmon Brown, also spoke about the deplorable condition of the track back then.
"Especially in the starting areas for 100, 200 and 400 metres and the inside lanes, those areas are well worn," he said.
The Stadium East track, like the main track inside the National Stadium, was laid ahead of the Ninth IAAF World Junior Championships in 2002.
Singapore to repair damaged Stadium East track
BY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, October 03, 2009
SINGAPORE, the host nation for next year's inaugural Youth Olympics, has given the Jamaican government its assurance to pay the US$550,000 needed to resurface the run-down Stadium East mondo track at the Independence Park Complex.
According to sports minister Olivia Grange, the arrangement will see a few of Jamaica's top athletes, including triple World and Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, helping Singapore to market the Youth Olympics set for August 14 to 26 in 2010.
"We have been offered the funds, but we have to sign off on the arrangements," Grange said on Thursday. The estimate of US$550,000 (or about J$49 million), was provided by Mondo America Incorporated.
"We have been approached to assist in promoting the event and this year they have several activities and they have invited us to visit Singapore. They've invited us to come with a delegation which would include Bolt, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown and one of our top youth athletes. We were able to get them to agree to assist in funding the track that we need to re-lay at the Stadium East field. They have indicated that the funds have been identified, but it requires the delegation to go to Singapore, expense paid by Singapore, to consummate the arrangement," said Grange, noting further that the delegation could make the trip by the end of October.
"We have finalised the date with the other athletes, but we are awaiting a date from Usain (management team). I know they are interested and keen because Usain personally spoke with me about the track, saying we (the athletes) really can't train on the track because of the condition it's in, and Glen Mills also spoke with me about it," she said. The minister said Bolt's handlers have indicated that they will advise the government of the double world-record holder's availability by the end of this week.
The Observer first reported in January this year that the track, which is used by the nation's top local senior and junior athletes to prepare for international competition, was in a deplorable condition.
At the time, Bolt's coach Mills, indicated that the surface threatened injury to the nation's athletes.
"Its current state is not safe for 100-metre running because the blocks may not hold and the athletes could make bad steps into what looks to be holes," said Mills.
General manager of IPL, Major Desmon Brown, also spoke about the deplorable condition of the track back then.
"Especially in the starting areas for 100, 200 and 400 metres and the inside lanes, those areas are well worn," he said.
The Stadium East track, like the main track inside the National Stadium, was laid ahead of the Ninth IAAF World Junior Championships in 2002.
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