Antigua and Barbuda’s only purpose-built track and field venue has suffered a major setback, as the YASCO Sports Complex has been stripped of its World Athletics Class 2 certification amid ongoing efforts to replace its aging, deteriorating running surface.
Shawnor Charles Joseph, president of the Antigua and Barbuda Athletic Association, confirmed that global track manufacturer Mondo has already finalized processing for the order of the new surface. However, the company has yet to share a definitive timeline for when the materials will be shipped to the Caribbean nation, leaving the renovation project in limbo.
In preparation for the main resurfacing work, local authorities have been developing a separate temporary warm-up track, a mandatory prerequisite before construction can begin on the primary facility. As of the latest update, that auxiliary track is roughly 80% finished, marking partial progress toward kicking off the core project. Once the new surface materials arrive at the complex, industry projections estimate that the full replacement work will take approximately two months to complete.
Originally awarded its Class 2 World Athletics certification back in 2021, YASCO Sports Complex has served as the only dedicated track and field training and competition hub for the islands’ athletes. The loss of certification means the venue can no longer host officially sanctioned World Athletics events, creating a significant gap for local and regional athletic competitions in the region until renovations are finished and certification can be reinstated.