Work set to begin on new athletic track
It’s been promised more times than Marion Jones has Olympic medals, but this time it looks for real. Following the visit of the legal advisor for the Marion Jones Foundation, work appears ready to commence on a new synthetic track and other amenities for Belizean athletes. According to Sports Consultant in the Officer of the Prime Minister, Clara Cuellar, the first phase of construction is expected to begin as early as next month.
Clara Cuellar, Sports Consultant, Office of the P.M.
“Building of a track at the sub-base level is similar to building road construction, and so a lot of the work has to be done on the sub-base area. And it was pleasing to know that the structure that is down is in good condition given all the years that the top layer was not put down. It still needs to be renovated a bit and those specifications will be developed within the next month as to what exactly needs to be done. Pouring of the track is similar to pouring of a street. But instead of tar and the size stones we’re using, it is polyurethane that is used, and very technical work that is done with a lot of experience by those who actually pour the track.”
And just in case you’re wondering, what will the finished track be like? Well, according to Cuellar, it should be as classy as the woman after whom the stadium is named.
Clara Cueller
“In this case, this track will be ninety or more percent for training purposes, and therefore you pour a track that tends to be a little slower it is said for time, but a little better on the athlete’s knees and other joints to prevent injury. The tracks that are poured specifically only for Olympic trials are very fast tracks, but athletes tend to never want to train on them because they cause a lot of damage. So this track will accommodate the training and therefore in that aspect we are looking at two hundred metre lanes, two sides of the track having hundred metre lanes, so we can alternate during the training process as so help with the wear and tear of the track. The track, part of it will also have the lights done to it and the inner field, which is the section never done before in Belize as well, and they refer to it as the “D Zone” that is where we’ll have all the infield events, the throwing, the jumping, pole vaulting and the rest of it.”
Cost estimates for the track are set at three million dollars, to be met equally by government and the Foundation. Maintenance will come through an agreement between the two parties who will nominate a committee for that specific purpose.
