A 400-metre running track that was built eight years ago at the Cayman Brac Sports Complex is set to be upgraded to enable international competitions to be hosted there.
The Ministry of District Administration and Lands is seeking vendors that are capable of the supply, installation and certification of an IAAF Class 2 Athletics Facility.
It published a request for quotes on the Government’s Public Purchasing Portal on Monday, 16 Oct. The closing date is 7 Nov. and work is expected to begin in December.
The upgraded eight-lane track will meet the Class 2 grade if it conforms to the strict requirements for accurate measurement contained in IAAF Competition Rules.
The material used for the track will also need be up to the body’s high standards – UV resistant, slip resistant, non-porous, pliant to reduce injuries, and environmentally friendly.
The track must also be suitable for spiked footwear and starting blocks, and have a minimum thickness of 13 millimetres, the quote request said.
The chosen contractor is expected to provide certified installers, installation equipment, installation materials and line marking to the specifications of the IAAF.
Certification system
The IAAF, also known as World Athletics and formerly the International Amateur Athletic Federation, is the international governing body for the sport of athletics.
In 1996, it introduced compulsory testing and registering of competition equipment, synthetic surfaces and athletics facilities eligible for use in IAAF competitions
The body decides on all tests and test procedures, and it continuously monitors compliance of certified products with the IAAF Competition Rules and Regulations.
“The IAAF Certification System has been developed in response to the need for better quality products in top level competitions and the rapid developments in athletics equipment,” it said on its website.
“It also recognises the growing trend towards international standardisation of product specifications, as well as the need to prevent unauthorised usage of the IAAF name.”
The body said it has a worldwide responsibility to guarantee validity and accuracy of performances and to support any initiative to improve athletics goods.
Its certification encourages “a higher standard of improving technique through using better quality equipment and implements in international and other competitions”, it added.
Sports complex
The 400m running track is part of the Cayman Brac Sports Complex which sits between Major Donald Drive and Sunshine Drive on The Bluff.
It received a multi-million-dollar upgrade between 2015 and 2019, including a 25m swimming pool and a FIFA standard football pitch and changing rooms.
In 2017, then Brac legislator and Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said the investment in the complex could lead to “sports tourism opportunities” on the island.
“Cayman Brac has been able to host a number of international sporting events which have made a sizeable contribution to local businesses and to the economy,” he said.
The latest upgrade was agreed by the government in early 2021 and was mentioned in the 2022/2023 budget.
Wilbur Welcome, acting chief officer in the Lands Ministry, said: “The project is part of a larger plan to develop world class facilities for our athletes and children to ensure they meet their full potential.”
“It will also facilitate the vision of sports tourism for sporting teams and organisations in Cayman Brac.”
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