Construction work that began on the Stadium East running track that began on Monday is expected to be completed by February, Jamaica’s Sports Minister Olivia Grange has announced.

The old Mondo track situated at Independence Park is to be replaced by a brand new Regupol track in time for the annual Gibson Relays that are usually held on the last weekend of February each year.

Barring prolonged periods of rainfall, it will take two weeks to remove the existing surface and three weeks to lay the new track.

“We have started on schedule and we hope to finish on schedule in February just ahead of the staging of the Gibson McCook track and field meet,” Minister Grange said.

“Today (Monday) as we start the process to replace this track we must remember that Stadium East has provided the training ground for some of Jamaica’s top class athletes including the legendary Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce among others. Indeed, it may have nurtured and produced the best athletes in the world.”

Director of Expert at Regupol in Germany, Peter Breuer, believes laying the new track should not present a challenge for his company that will lay its seventh in Jamaica.

“We have developed a very special product for Minister Grange and Stadium East that can be applied over the asphalt without rebuilding the whole structure which cost as much as the synthetic,” he said.

“So, in this case, we are only taking the old surface off and rebuilding a new surface on top the existing base. That is a very special thing that has not been done like this yet.”

Breuer disclosed that the synthetic track should be able to withstand the ‘harsh’ conditions in Jamaica.

“We specifically developed this product, not only because of this stadium but also for the very harsh conditions that you have in Jamaica. Jamaica has a very harsh climate. You have a lot of heat, a lot of sun, a lot of moisture and you have more athletes on the track than anywhere else in the world, at all times,” he said.

“The abuse a track gets in Jamaica is second to none. Every runner has spikes and this is really severe damage to a track. That is why we have developed this product.”

 

Source: sportsmax.tv

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