Part of the requirement for hosting the event, which takes place from January 21-30 at New Zealand's largest multi-sport and leisure complex, was the provision of a 400-metre, eight-lane warm-up track.

Council recreation and sports unit manager John Filsell said that after considering building a temporary track, he is delighted there is instead a permanent one in place to provide an athletics legacy.

Filsell said: "With support from central government we were able to install a permanent rubber-surfaced warm-up track to IAAF specification that not only meets the requirements of athletes in this major competition, but will also provide long-lasting benefits to our city."

Work began on the new track in October and has been completed well ahead of schedule.

As a strong advocate for sport and cultural activity in New Zealand, Minister for Economic Development Gerry Brownlee says the Government is thrilled to have contributed to the project.

"This new training track will not only be of great benefit to the IPC Athletics World Championships, but also for the legacy benefits to Christchurch and New Zealand as a whole," said Brownlee.

"A facility of this scope expands our potential to host other major international athletic events."

Among those expected to benefit from the new track are local athletes and athletics clubs, schools, Athletics Canterbury, New Zealand Athletics, athletes competing in the annual International Track Meet in March, and the New Zealand Academy of Sport.

Meanwhile, Christchurch 2011 will be the first IPC Athletics World Championships ever to be held outside Europe after Paralympics New Zealand secured the right to host the event ahead Barcelona back in 2007.

The 10-day championships also act as a qualifying event for the London 2012 Paralympic Games and will be attended by top elite athletes from around the world.

Nearly 1,100 athletes from 80 countries, plus 900 officials will be in Christchurch for the action at the 20,000-capacity Queen Elizabeth II Park Stadium which was built in 1973 to host the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

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