Top IPC athletes make the most of QEII’s new training track
Top athletes at the recent 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships were the first to use the new training track at Christchurch's QEII Park Recreation and Sport Centre.
During the last week of January New Zealand's largest multi-sport and leisure complex hosted the first IPC Athletics World Championships to ever be held outside Europe. Paralympics New Zealand secured the right to host the event in Christchurch ahead of the other finalist, Barcelona in 2007.
The 10-day championships were also a qualifying event for the London 2012 Paralympic Games and were attended by top elite athletes from around the world. In total, nearly 1,100 athletes from 80 countries, plus 900 officials were be in Christchurch for the event.
As Christchurch City Council Recreation & Sports Unit Manager, John Filsell explains, part of the requirements for hosting this event was the provision of a 400 metre, eight lane warm-up track for the athletes.
"We did consider simply creating a temporary training track; however with support from Government, we were able to install a permanent rubber-surfaced warm-up track to IAAF specification that not only meets the requirements of athletes in this major competition, but will also provide long-lasting benefits to our city."
Work began on the new track in October 2010 and was completed well ahead of schedule, in plenty of time for the event.
As a strong advocate for sport and cultural activity, Minister for Economic Development Hon Gerry Brownlee says that the New Zealand Government are thrilled to have contributed to this project.
Minister Brownlee stated "this new training track will not only be of great benefit to the IPC Athletics World Championships, but also for the legacy benefits to Christchurch and New Zealand as a whole. A facility of this scope expands our potential to host other major international athletic events."
Among those expected to benefit from the new track are local athletes and athletics clubs, schools, Athletics Canterbury, New Zealand Athletics, athletes competing in the annual International Track Meet in March, and The New Zealand Academy of Sport.
It is estimated that the IPC Athletics World Championships brought approximately $12 million dollars into the Christchurch economy through competitors, visitors and supporters coming to the event.
20th November 2009 - REDEVELOPED QEII CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE OPENS
