Right On Track!

THE eight-lane synthetic 400m track that is being constructed by German-based specialist BSW-Regupol at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, is scheduled to be completed by the end of February.

When the Observer visited the university yesterday, workmen were busy carrying out infrastructural work on the land where the track -- a gift to Jamaica's triple Olympic and World championship gold medallist Usain Bolt -- will be laid.

Project manager Devon Smith, who disclosed that work started in the second week of November, indicated that the foundation work includes the laying of a drainage system and irrigation pipes to support the football field.

"We're formalising a drainage systems which runs right across the entire property at the northern end... and we are putting in a irrigation system also," Smith said.

"The sub-base in the first instance is to establish a proper drainage (system) meeting IAAF standards... the land has a slope so we need to establish the appropriate levels, also at IAAF standard," he said, noting that the grassing of the football field is also included in this phase of the project.

It is not clear how much money the UWI is spending to carry out the infrastructurale work.

On completion, the track will be utilised by athletes from UWI, Racers Track Club and IAAF High Performance Training Centre.

Grace Jackson, the student services manager for sports at UWI, told the Observer the contractors remain on target for the track to be completed by the end of February.

"Unless anything drastic happens, like the weather etc, we remain on target for February," Jackson said, noting that BSW-Regupol had already shipped the materials.

"That part of it has been done, so we are expecting the materials to be in (Jamaica) by some time in January... so that as the contractor is finished with laying the foundation and setting up the infield, they (Regupal) will be ready to lay the track by the beginning of February," Jackson added.

Regupol is the company that constructed the blue track for this summer's 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany, where Jamaica secured a record 13 medals -- seven gold, four silver and two bronze.

Sports administrator Jackson, who won the 200m silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, indicated that seating will also be implemented on a phased basis around the track.

"We're hoping to have both a grand stand and bleachers area for the (mini) stadium... that won't be immediate because obviously, it's a lot of funds to be finding at one time," she said.

On November 11, a 20-year agreement was signed by UWI's principal, Professor Gordon Shirley, and president of the Racers Track Club, Glen Mills, as the institution moves to pair sporting excellence with science to establish itself as the premier facilitator of sports development in the region.

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