Latest update November 8th, 2024 1:00 AM
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IAAF grants Leonora track Class II Certification
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has given the Synthetic Track and Field Facility at Leonora a Class II Certification, according to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony, who visited the facility on Thursday.
Anthony formally displayed the Certification along with President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson. “This will be the first certified facility that we have in Guyana for athletics so while it looks like a simple thing, it is really a big deal,” Anthony said.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony (2nd, left) and AAG President, Aubrey Huston exchange handshakes on the certification as they display the IAAF Certification of the track in the presence of Permanent Secretary, Alfred King (right) and his deputy, Steve Ninvalle on Thursday.
“We are extremely pleased because this now allows our athletes to race on (this kind of) surface and if they break any records it will be accepted (internationally) and I think that’s a remarkable stride,” Anthony continued, adding that prior to the advent of the track, local athletes travelled to other certified facilities (to qualify for international competition).
Hutson believes that the facility will do well for the development of the sport. “The AAG is on a constant drive to improve athletics and in collaboration with the Minister and Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport we are really heartened that we have a certified track,” he said.
“We are hoping that we will be able to bring track and field out here, and get the kind of results that we are looking for so that we can really and truly perform and compete internationally,” he added.
However, while the track, the first for Guyana, has been laid, the other infrastructural works to compliment the facility, inclusive of stands, lights, water, washroom facilities were given a year-end deadline prior to Thursday’s visit to the facility.
The northern stands are under construction and Anthony said that no official date has been set for an official opening.
“We still have a number of things that we have to do at the track, so for now once we complete these northern stands and have them all painted and the rooms below ready and the VIP area then we will do a soft launch, but we will have to see how our contractors are working,” Anthony said.
“In fact, we were on schedule to do that later in the year, but we had to fire the contractor who was working on the VIP building because of slow progress and that has delayed us,” Anthony informed.
On the subject of athletes use of the track, Antony said there will have be a structured meeting on the way forward in that regard with officials from his ministry and the AAG. The minister stated that such a forum will be to have supervision of such usage in place.
He disclosed that the Ministry will be constructing southern, eastern and western stands as well as installing a warm-up track in the future, which will be situated behind the northern stand that is to house ‘the call room’ for athletes.
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