Dominica secures World Athletics ‘Aim Beyond’ initiative for new track facility

Dominica has achieved a key milestone in sports development. The Dominica Athletics Association (DAA) announced that the island has been named as a beneficiary of the World Athletics Aim Beyond initiative. Under this, Dominica will receive support to build a World Class 1 synthetic track and field facility.

This achievement is the result of the government’s two years of planning and hard work. The DAA worked closely with technical experts and government partners. A detailed proposal was shared to World Athletics in 2023, which has now been approved. Dominica is now one of the countries selected for this large-scale investment.

In addition, the government of Dominica is planning to build a modern national sports complex. The Aim Beyond initiative will help bring this vision to reality. The Dominica Athletics Association sees this as a large step toward the creation of a world class facility for Dominica’s athletes.

The association extended their thanks to key leaders and partners, including Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit and the Office of the Prime Minister. They also appreciated Oscar George and the Ministry of Sports; and Reggie Severin and Billy Doctrove, along with all the government teams that put in hard work to support the project.

According to Qatar Olympic and World Athletics, 11 running tracks will be constructed across 11 countries in the world. The Aim Beyond initiative is a joint effort of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), World Athletics, and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), with an aim to empower youth and underserved communities through the advancement of sports.

The tracks built will have diverse features, catering to the needs of athletes with disabilities and will be made using eco-friendly and sustainable materials. “In many communities around the world, athletic talent is abundant, but facilities are not – and that’s where Aim Beyond makes its mark,” said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon during the signing ceremony or the project in Doha on Monday.

Along with Dominica, other countries to receive the benefit of this initiative are - Anguilla, Burundi, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Palestine, Panama, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Ukraine.

With support from the Government of Dominica, World Athletics, and the Qatar Olympic Committee, the country is looking forward to moving toward a more developed sports sector. The new track and field facility will present the athletes new opportunities which will strengthen the future of the sports on the island.