President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that his Government aims to facilitate young and aspiring athletes to reach their potential and fulfil all Maldivians' dreams in international sporting arenas and competitions. He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new Ekuveni Synthetic Track in Malé City this evening.

The Government built the new track with facilities to cater to athletes and the general public's needs. Citing this, the President said the project supports the pledge to promote fitness, wellness and healthier lifestyles for everyone.

On this note, President Solih expressed his hope that more young athletes would utilise the new facilities to train hard and achieve success in their chosen sports. He urged them to endeavour to represent the Maldives in international sports to attain honour and victory in the nation's name.

The President went on to highlight the importance of building more health-conscious people through sports and recreational activities. In this vein, he revealed that the Government would complete the project to upgrade the swimming track in Malé City early next month – a project that would address several challenges faced by those who use the swimming track.

The project to upgrade the Ekuveni running track into a state-of-the-art synthetic nine-lane running track was initiated in mid-2020 with the financial assistance of the Indian Government. It would permanently address the shortcomings of the previous running track. President Solih closely monitored the progress of the upgrade work and extended his heartfelt appreciation to all parties involved in the project's expeditious completion.

During the inauguration ceremony this evening, President Solih greeted participants of the 100-metre Special Paralympic Run. He also participated in the running activities, joining the Veterans Team to run against the Senior Athletics Team and the Junior Athletics Team. The President also joined a short cricket game during the ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by the High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, Mr Sunjay Sudhir and senior government officials. Representatives from parties involved in the project, including senior officials from RKL Group, Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Road Development Corporation (RDC), Fenaka Corporation and Police Welfare Company (POLCO), were also in attendance. The inauguration ceremony was also joined by members of the Athletics Association of Maldives and individuals from the public who work to promote sports and athletics.

-- Press Release by The President's Office