KINGSTON, Jamaica – The National Stadium will be ready for the staging of the highly anticipated JN Jamaica Invitational Meet, which will take place next month, Saturday, May 7.
Howard Aris, President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) gave the assurance of the stadium’s readiness at a Media Briefing, at the Wyndham Kingston Hotel on Thursday (April 14).
“I don’t see any challenges or difficulties and all the requisites will be in place for a meet of this caliber,” he said pointing to the recent upgrade of the stadium where a new track was laid.
Resurfacing of the main track at the National Stadium was completed in February by German company BSW Regupol. The stadium also received a Class I certification by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in February. A Class I certification enables the facility to host any international athletics competition, including meetings in the World Athletics Series, Olympic Games or Area Permit meetings.
The new track was tested recently by two major meets – the 35th staging of the Gibson Relays, held in March; and the Inter-Secondary Schools’ Sports Association’s (ISSA)/Grace-Kennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships from March 30 to April 2.
The track now boasts a blue-coloured surface, similar to the one that was laid in Berlin for the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, as well as on the Usain Bolt track installed last year at the University of the West Indies.
The Jamaica National Building Society is again the Title Sponsor for the event, which was upgraded to an International Amateur Athletic Foundation (IAAF) Challenge Meet this year. It will be broadcast live via international cable television to more than 160 million households in 25 countries around the world.
