Australia's Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson has called on Gold Coast City Council to repair the track she trains on because they have neglected it for so long even though the city is hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Pearson, who won the 100 metres hurdles at London 2012, has been training at the Gold Coast Athletics Track at Griffith University for 14 years and claims that the situation is now becoming critical. 

"I just want it to get redone because it's been there since 1998 and it's starting to fall apart," she told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

"They've just built tennis courts and volleyball courts there, but we still haven't had our track done yet."

Pearson's treatment at home contrasts sharply with that that she received in the build-up to London 2012 at Tonbridge School, where Australia's athletics squad trained before the Olympics.

The school, one of the most famous in England, installed a mondo lane on its athletics track to cater specifically for Pearson's training regime.

Pearson's home track is also the base for the Gold Coast Victory Athletics Club, whose members include Olympic discus thrower Julian Wruck, the former Commonwealth Youth Games champion, and Katelyn Simpson, one of Australia's most promising young middle-distance runners.

"I know we've been asking for a reseal for a number of years now, so I'm not sure where it is in the process now, but I hope it is getting done." said Pearson.

"There's also other sports that come there as well, like triathletes come there, Olympians, I'm not the only Olympian that trains there," Pearson said.

Pearson claimed the work was even more important now that the Gold Coast is due to host the Commonwealth Games in six years.

"Especially when the Gold Coast is going to have the Commonwealth Games in 2018, it would be nice to have a new track for the athletes to train on," she said. 

Pearson was backed by Gold Coast City Councillor Dawn Crichlow.

"Sally is 100 per cent correct and this work should have been done five years ago," she said.

"The council is totally aware this needs to be done, but it has been delayed because we only have a short-term lease on the site.

"Griffith University have assured me the track is here to stay so we should press ahead with it as soon as possible."

By Duncan Mackay

Source: www.insidethegames.biz