Stadium puts athletics on the fast track, says Elana Meyer

Olympic silver medal winner Elana Meyer yesterday gave the newly refurbished Green Point Athletics Stadium in Cape Town the thumbs up.

The veteran long-distance runner said the new facility was "world class and it will inspire youth to join athletics".

Meyer, who won silver at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, was one of the guests at a function to officially open the long-awaited stadium.

Situated next to Cape Town Stadium, which was built for the 2010 World Cup, the athletics stadium has been the subject of controversy after its completion was delayed for two years owing to the liquidation of construction com-pany Filcon Projects.

Yesterday mayor Patricia de Lille cut the red ribbon to open the stadium and announced that it would host the World Triathlon Series in April.

Triathlon South Africa president Debbie Alexander said the stadium would be used for the transition between cycling and running, and for the finish.

She said the stadium had a beautiful backdrop and offered a good space for spectators.

The city paid R85-million for the facelift and the stadium can now seat 4500 people.

It has a VIP suite, changing rooms for males and females, a large reception area and a grandstand.

It will be used by professional and amateur athletes.

De Lille said: "The scale and quality of this stadium will mean that school children will be able to perform on the same track as Olympic athletes."

"The young girls and boys who are dreaming of becoming the next global athletics icons now [have] the opportunity to make that dream a reality."