National Stadium returns to global stage as World Athletics approves Kingston surface
Key Points(5)
- More than a year after its transformation, Jamaica’s National Stadium track has officially regained international recognition.
- Sports Minister Olivia Grange announced that the facility has received certification from World Athletics, confirming that the upgraded surface meets the global organization’s strict standards.
- The announcement came during Grange’s contribution to the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where she highlighted the certification as one of the country’s significant recent achievements in sports infrastructure.
- The newly installed surface was completed in March 2025 by international track specialists Rekortan ahead of Jamaica hosting the opening event of the now troubled Grand Slam Track series.
- Although the upgraded track quickly became the stage for several major competitions, including the National Senior and Junior Championships and the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, it had remained uncertified for international record purposes.
More than a year after its transformation, Jamaica’s National Stadium track has officially regained international recognition.
Sports Minister Olivia Grange announced that the facility has received certification from World Athletics, confirming that the upgraded surface meets the global organization’s strict standards.
The announcement came during Grange’s contribution to the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where she highlighted the certification as one of the country’s significant recent achievements in sports infrastructure.
The newly installed surface was completed in March 2025 by international track specialists Rekortan ahead of Jamaica hosting the opening event of the now troubled Grand Slam Track series.
Although the upgraded track quickly became the stage for several major competitions, including the National Senior and Junior Championships and the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, it had remained uncertified for international record purposes.
That delay meant the stadium, once classified as a Grade One facility, could not host World Athletics-sanctioned global events or have elite performances officially recognized.
Now, that restriction has been removed.
A track built for record-breaking performances
Grange shared the official confirmation from World Athletics, emphasizing the significance of the approval.
“I now have the duty to quote from a correspondence which we recently received from World Athletics,” she said.
“The message included some technical language, but I will just read the sentence that we are all waiting to hear, ‘all synthetic surface field test measurements comply with World Athletics requirements.’”
The minister described the certification as a proud moment for the nation, especially because of the stadium’s symbolic identity.
“This means that the National Stadium track, the beautiful and unique black, gold and green track, is certified,” she said.
“The Class One facility certification means that the record-setting times that can now be run on our modern track will be fully recognised.”
The approval restores the venue’s ability to serve as a legitimate stage for international athletics, giving Jamaican athletes and visiting competitors the opportunity to chase officially ratified records on home soil.
Global events remain a long-term target
The certification arrives as Jamaica continues discussions about expanding the National Stadium’s overall capabilities.
Earlier in the year, Sebastian Coe noted that Jamaica would be well-positioned to host major competitions such as the World Under-20 Championships and World Relays, while also pointing out that broader stadium improvements would still be required.
Grange said the wider upgrade project has moved beyond planning discussions and is now in the detailed design phase after the completion of both feasibility studies and concept development.
However, she did not provide a specific timeline for construction to begin.
National Sports Council set to return after nearly a decade
Grange also announced another major policy development: the return of the National Sports Council.
The body has been inactive since 2016, but pressure from sporting stakeholders, including opposition sports spokesperson Wavell Hinds and Jamaica Olympic Association president Christopher Samuda, has helped push for its reinstatement.
The council will serve as an advisory and development body, tasked with helping shape national sports policy and improving coordination across the industry.
Grange outlined several responsibilities, including providing advice on policy direction, supporting sports development initiatives, analyzing government programmes, strengthening partnerships among sporting organizations, improving funding and infrastructure strategies, and monitoring the implementation of the country’s sports transformation plan.
A new chapter for Jamaican sport
With the National Stadium track now certified, plans advancing for wider facility improvements, and renewed investment in youth development, Jamaica’s sports sector is entering a new phase.
The approval of the iconic black, gold and green surface is more than a technical achievement, it represents the return of one of the Caribbean’s most famous athletics venues to the international stage.
